Comorbidity between Mental and Physical Disorders : Identification, Management and Treatment

This book provides a comprehensive approach to the relationship between severe mental disorders and physical comorbidities. Patients with severe mental disorders face a significantly reduced life expectancy, compared to the general population, of up to 10-25 years. Factors associated with the high mortality rates in patients with severe mental disorders can be grouped into four categories: those related to the patients, to psychiatrists, to other non-psychiatrist medical doctors, and to the healthcare system. Each of these factors should become the target of specific and dedicated interventions in order to reduce the morbidity and mortality rate in patients with severe mental disorders.

The book is divided into four sections: The first one delves into the public health importance of comorbidity. The second section is dedicated to the pathogenesis of comorbidity. The third section addresses comorbidities of disorders of major public health importance. The closing section provides practical guidance on managing mental and physical comorbidities.

This book will be essential reading for psychiatrists, general practitioners, medical specialists, public health professionals, and anyone involved in the care and treatment of patients with severe mental disorders. It will also be a key resource for researchers and policymakers looking to develop effective strategies to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with these conditions.

Andrea Fiorillo, MD, PhD, is Full Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy. He is currently President of the European Psychiatric Association (EPA). He is Chair of the Section on Education in Psychiatry of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), member of the WPA Operational Committee on Education and Scientific Publication, Honorary Member of the WPA, and President of the Italian Society for Social Psychiatry. He is Editor-in-Chief of European Psychiatry. His main research interests include education in psychiatry, social psychiatry, psychiatric epidemiology, prevention of mental disorders and promotion of physical and mental wellbeing in people with severe mental illnesses. He has authored more than 200 scientific papers in international peer-reviewed journals and several chapters in various scientific books. He has edited several books in the field of mental health.

Afzal Javed is a Consultant Psychiatrist in UK. He isConsultant Psychiatrist, Immediate Past President World Psychiatric Association. He is Honorary Professor Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, UK & Honorary Clinical Associate Teacher at Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick UK. He also holds the position of Chairman Pakistan Psychiatric Research Centre, Fountain House, Lahore (Pakistan).  He graduated from King Edward Medical College Lahore, Pakistan and received higher specialised training in Psychiatry from Pakistan and UK( from Royal Edinburgh Hospital, University of Edinburgh and Institute of Psychiatry & Maudsley Hospital London). He has served the UK Royal College of Psychiatrists as Deputy & Associate Registrar, member Board of International Affairs of the College, Chairman of West Midlands Division of the College & one of the lead College office bearers for SAS doctors & Pt & carers groups. His areas of special interest are Psychosocial Rehabilitation, Social and Transcultural Psychiatry and Psychiatric Research. His academic skills have been invaluable when publishing more than 200 scientific papers and being author of six books/monographs on different topics of psychiatry. He has been Past President of Asian Federation of Psychiatric Associations (AFPA), and President World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation (WAPR).

Norman Sartorius, MD, PhD, FRCPsych holds professorial appointments at several universities in Europe, and the USA. He was the Director of the Mental Health Programme of the WHO, President of the World Psychiatric Association and of the European Psychiatric Association. He is currently President of the Association for the Improvement of Mental Health Programmes in Geneva. His main interests are problems related to comorbidity of mental and physical disorders, the fight against stigma and the education of stakeholders in mental health care. He has published more than 500 articles in scientific journals and written, co-authored or edited more than 100 books.