Physical Health Problems Among People With Severe Mental Illnesses: Race, Gender, and Implications for Practice.
Ashley D Givens, Amy Blank Wilson, Tonya B Van Deinse and 2 others
PMID 34053320WHAT IT FOUND
Among adults with severe mental illness, physical health risks varied by race and gender: Black men had more high blood pressure, Black women had more obesity, and White men had more diabetes risk.
Monitor blood pressure, weight, and diabetes screening in this group.
Key findings
01Black men had high blood pressure more often than Black women, White men, and White women (45% versus 43%, 25%, and 18%).
02Black women had obesity or morbid obesity more often than White women, White men, and Black men (82% versus 79%, 68%, and 55%).
03Among participants with HbA1c reported, White men had elevated HbA1c more often than White women, Black men, and Black women (34% versus 30%, 20%, and 12%).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study used data from one community mental health agency in one Midwest community, so it may not apply to other places or services. It was cross-sectional, so it cannot show how health problems changed over time or what caused them. Participants were only those who consented to an integrated care evaluation, and they may have been less symptomatic than other consumers at the agency. HbA1c was reported for 268 participants, and the authors questioned the validity of the diabetes model because of missing data. The sample did not include Latinx or other marginalized groups, and it lacked information on medication, family history, substance use, exercise, and socioeconomic status.
Declared interests
The authors reported no conflicts of interest. The study used data from a federally funded integrated care project, and the article is listed as supported by NIH and U.S. Public Health Service funding.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the race and gender differences as causes or as a reason to screen only certain groups. The study is cross-sectional, from one Midwest agency, and HbA1c was reported for only 268 participants, so it describes associations in this sample, not tested treatment effects.