by A recent study conducted by researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden has revealed that individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are 82% more likely to have a shorter lifespan than those without the condition. The study, which aimed to understand the specific causes of death contributing to the elevated mortality rates in OCD patients, utilized Swedish population registers to compare a group of 61,378 individuals diagnosed with OCD with 613,780 individuals without OCD.
Previous studies had identified excess deaths in individuals with OCD, but the specific causes of death had not been thoroughly researched, with the exception of suicide. Interestingly, the suicide rates in individuals with OCD were found to be similar to those with other mental health disorders. OCD affects approximately 2% of the population and is characterized by distressing intrusive and repetitive thoughts, as well as the compulsion to perform rituals to alleviate the discomfort caused by these thoughts.
The study, conducted over a period of four decades from 1973 to 2020, found that individuals with OCD had a significantly shorter average lifespan, with a mean age of 69 years compared to 78 years in individuals without OCD. The risk of death during the study period was 82% higher in the OCD group, with this increased risk attributed to both natural causes (31% increased risk) and unnatural causes (230% increased risk).
For the first time, the study was able to identify specific causes of death due to natural causes. Individuals with OCD had an increased risk of death due to lung diseases (73% higher risk), mental and behavioral disorders (58% higher risk), diseases of the urinary and reproductive organs (55% higher risk), endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (47% higher risk), diseases of the blood vessels (33% higher risk), nervous system disorders (21% higher risk), and digestive system disorders (20% higher risk). However, it was found that the risk of death due to cancer was 13% lower in individuals with OCD, although the reason for this remains unknown.
Among the unnatural causes of death, suicide was the main contributor to the increased mortality rates in individuals with OCD. Those with OCD were found to have a nearly five-fold increased risk of dying by suicide compared to those without the disorder. Additionally, individuals with OCD had a 92% increased risk of death due to accidents, including traffic accidents or falls. These results remained significant even after taking other accompanying mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders into account.
Furthermore, when the OCD group was compared to their siblings without OCD, the results remained largely unchanged, indicating that the findings were specific to OCD itself and not related to accompanying mental health disorders or shared genetic or environmental factors among families.
The study highlights the importance of understanding the increased mortality rates in individuals with OCD and further investigates the specific causes of death. The findings suggest the need for targeted interventions and support systems to improve the overall well-being and longevity of individuals with OCD.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
