- Target:
- Australian Federal Government
- Region:
- Australia
- Website:
- www.mifa.org.au
This petition is now closed
People with severe mental illness (SMI) can, on average, die up to 25 years earlier than the rest of the community.
MIFA wants to expose and highlight the national neglect which is causing people with SMI to experience poor physical health during their life and to die early.
*Diabetes occurs in about 15% of people with schizophrenia. This is three times higher than that of the general population.
*31% of people with schizophrenia and coronary heart disease (CHD) are diagnosed under the age of 55, compared with 18% of others with CHD;
*21% of people with schizophrenia who have a stroke are under 55, compared with 11% of others who have a stroke.
*After five years, 28% of people with respiratory disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder who also have schizophrenia have died, compared with 15% of people with no serious mental health problems.
The Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia (MIFA) has initiated this petition to call attention to the physical health challenges experienced by people with a severe mental illness.
With your support we will continue to advocate with people affected by mental illness for the Federal government to become proactive, and make the physical health issues of people with mental illness a national health priority, and to highlight the special needs of people with mental illness in all public health campaigns.
The People with mental illness should not have to die early petition to Australian Federal Government was written by Susan Golley and is in the category Health at GoPetition.