Parental mental illness increases risk of premature death in offspring

Children of parents with mental disorders have an increased risk of mortality up to age 51 years, a new study has found. The associations were strongest in the case of “unnatural” (suicide, accident) deaths compared to “natural” (disease), especially when both parents had mental disorders. Researchers urge that support be given to families in which the parents have mental disorders in order to possibly reduce the risk of premature death. However, further research is needed to determine whether such support would, in fact, reduce this risk, the researchers said.