Mortality Gap — MRCPsych Paper B MCQ
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Correct answer: A — 15–20 years
The correct answer is A. NICE states that adults with psychosis or schizophrenia have a life expectancy approximately 15–20 years shorter than that of the general population. The excess mortality is predominantly associated with physical disease, including cardiovascular and metabolic disorders; NHS England identifies cardiovascular disease as the single largest contributor to the widening mortality gap. Suicide contributes to premature mortality but does not account for most deaths. A reduction of 1–2 or 5–7 years substantially underestimates the established gap, whereas 30–40 years is considerably greater than the figure used in current UK guidance. There is therefore a clear reduction, excluding option D.
Reference: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Psychosis and schizophrenia in adults, Quality Standard QS80, Quality statement 6: Assessing physical health. 2015. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs80/chapter/Quality-statement-6-Assessing-physical-health