Liver disease in people with serious mental illness: An evaluation of prevalence, the care cascade, and novel models of healthcare delivery

People with serious mental illness experience premature mortality relative to general populations. Much of this is due to physical health issues. This thesis shows that people with serious mental illness have high rates of fatty liver disease and hepatitis c virus. However, screening for these conditions is sub-optimal, and even when performed, is undermined by attrition in the care cascade. Increased liver disease awareness, together with a paradigm shift that supports screening, is required as part of a holistic campaign towards achieving healthcare parity in people with serious mental illness.