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Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, Vol. 11, No. 1, 45-51 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/1078390305276343

The Burden of Disease in Those With Serious Mental and Physical Illnesses

Carol Kennedy

The Ohio State University, College of Nursing, Powellkennedy.5{at}osu.edu

Pamela Salsberry

The Ohio State University, College of Nursing, Columbus

Jennie Nickel

Bureau of Home and Community Services, Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, Columbus

Chantal Hunt

Inpatient Psychiatric Care, Health Care Excel, Columbus

Esther Chipps

Center for Nursing Excellence, The Ohio State University Hospital, Columbus

BACKGROUND: Clients with severe mental illness are known to have higher morbidity than the general population, but little is known about their perception of disease burden. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the disease burden in a cohort of community-dwelling persons diagnosed with severe mental illness. STUDY DESIGN: This was a descriptive study that included: interviews, measures of blood pressure, height and weight, and chart audits from 109 volunteers. RESULTS: Mean scores on the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form–12 (MOS SF-12) were compared by gender and five chronic illnesses. The participants had lower scores on the physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) health components of the MOS SF-12 than the general population. Participants with depression, hypertension, arthritis, diabetes, and chronic lung disease scored lower than the general population on the PCS and MCS. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that clients with severe mental illness and physical health problems experience a greater disease burden than do their counterparts in the general population.

Key Words: severe mental illness • physical health • disease burden


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