Ethnic density and other neighbourhood associations for mortality in severe mental illness: a retrospective cohort study with multi-level analysis from an urbanised and ethnically diverse location in the UK

Summary Background Neighbourhood social context might play a role in modifying mortality outcomes in severe mental illness, but has received little attention to date. Therefore, we aimed to assess in an ethnically diverse and urban location the association of neighbourhood-level characteristics and individual-level factors for all-cause, natural-cause, and unnatural-cause mortality in those with severe mental illness. Methods We did a retrospective cohort study using a case-registry from a large secondary mental health-care Trust in an ethnically diverse and urban location in south London, UK. Linked data for deaths and areas of residence were identified from the case-registry. We included all individuals aged 15 years or more at the time of diagnosis for a severe mental illness from Jan 1, 2007, to Dec 31, 2014. We used individual-level information in our analyses, such as gender, marital status, and the presence of current or previous substance use disorders. We assessed neighbourhood or area-level indicators at the Lower Super Output Area level. Association of neighbourhood-level characteristics, which included the interaction between ethnicity and own ethnic density, deprivation, urbanicity, and social fragmentation, alongside individual-level factors for all-cause, natural-cause, and unnatural-cause mortality in those with severe mental illness was assessed. Findings A total of 18 201 individuals were included in this cohort for analyses, with a median follow-up of 6·36 years. There were 1767 (9·7%) deaths from all causes, 1417 (7·8%) from natural causes, and 192 (1·1%) from unnatural causes. In the least ethnically dense areas, the adjusted rate ratio (aRR) for all-cause mortality in ethnic minority groups with severe mental illness compared with white British people with severe mental illness were similar (aRR 0·96, 95% CI 0·71–1·29); however in the highest ethnic density areas, ethnic minority groups with severe mental illness had a lower risk of death (aRR 0·52, 95% CI 0·38–0·71; p