Mental disorders and medical comorbidities: Association rule mining approach

Purpose: This study explored the medical comorbidities of mental disorders using association rule mining. Design and methods: Patients diagnosed with mental disorders between 2002 and 2010 were identified. An equal number of nonmental disorder subjects were randomly selected and matched with case group by age and gender. Findings: Sleep disorders and digestive diseases were frequent comorbidities among mental disorders. The specific medical comorbidities were diabetes mellitus, chronic liver disease, extrapyramidal diseases, disorders of stomach function, general symptoms, sleep disturbance, and family circumstances. Practice implications: The results suggest that education of professional knowledge of comorbid conditions should be provided to nurses for caring patients with mental illnesses.