Comparisons of the leading causes of death for public mental health clients in the six states that submitted data are shown in Figures 1 through 6, as are the leading causes of death statewide for each state and year and for the United States in 1999. Most public mental health clients died of natural causes in all six states. The leading causes of death for mental health clients are similar to those found nationwide and statewide; they include heart disease, cancer, and cerebrovascular, respiratory, and lung diseases. Heart disease was the leading cause of death among public mental health clients in all six states as well as in general state populations and the United States. Cancer was second in the general populations of the six states and the United States. For public mental health clients, cancer was the second highest cause of death in three states for 2 of 3 years and in Rhode Island for the year shown. In Utah and Virginia, cancer was third as a cause of death among public mental health clients. Percentages of mental health clients who died of cancer were lower than for the general population in all six states for the years shown.
