Lifespan gains have stalled in many developed nations, since even before the COVID-19 pandemic. This concerning trend amplifies the need to identify modifiable determinants of population life and health expectancy. In this talk, I will highlight mental health as one potential determinant. Leveraging data from two prospective nationwide-register studies, I will show that as older adults, young people with mental disorders (1) develop excess age-related physical and neurodegenerative diseases, (2) accumulate more associated healthcare use and costs, and (3) die earlier than people without mental disorders. These associations are evident across different psychiatric conditions and different age-related diseases, and after addressing reverse-causation and other alternative explanations. These findings suggest that ameliorating mental-health problems in young people might extend population lifespan and healthspan, and reduce the societal burden of age-related diseases.
Gross Hall, Room 270