People with OCD are more likely to die prematurely

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Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) affects about 2% of the world’s population, The Conversation reports. They manifest themselves through painful, intrusive and repetitive thoughts. Sufferers feel compelled to perform certain rituals to banish these thoughts, “such as to clear, repeat or check”Refers to the media.

According to a new study published in the journal BMJ, these individuals are 82% more likely to die prematurely than those who do not suffer from it. Lorena Fernández de la Cruz, a clinical researcher at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and a co-author of the survey, explains that her team wanted to identify the natural and unnatural causes of death that contribute to this high mortality rate. “We used the Swedish population register, which contains administrative and medical data for the entire population, to compare a group of 61,378 people diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder with 613,780 people without it. »

she explains.

OCD needs better support

A group of researchers found that people with OCD died at an earlier average age than others (69 years old versus 78 years old). During their lifetime, these patients are 31% more likely to die of natural causes and 230% more likely to die of unnatural causes.

Indeed, pulmonary diseases, mental and behavioral disorders, diseases related to urinary and reproductive organs, endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases, diseases of blood vessels, nervous system and digestive system increase the risks. “Surprisingly, people with OCD had a 13% lower risk of dying from cancer», Expert Comment.

Among unnatural causes of death, suicide is the main factor contributing to the increase in mortality: the risk of suicide is five times higher in people affected by these disorders. The risk of dying from an accident also increases by 92%.

The team of scientists hope that these results will encourage health professionals “Will contribute to improving work and care for people with OCD”. With better monitoring, unnatural causes of death can be avoided.