Takeaway
A diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) constitutes a mortality risk factor in adult patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Why this matters
An increased incidence of COVID-19 among individuals with mental disorders has been reported; however, it is unclear which of these disorders is more closely associated, or likely to result in adverse COVID-related outcomes including mortality risk.
The association of SSD with increased COVID-19 mortality risk highlights the potential need for training for relevant mental health teams, to aid identification of COVID-associated symptoms and therefore necessary treatment, which may not be recognized by all patients, particularly those with active psychosis and/or cognitive impairment.