Physical Health Views Among Individuals Experiencing Mental Illness: A Mixed-Methods Study of Self-Reported Health and Contributing Factors.
Stefan Sebastian Heinz, Anthony John O'Brien, Matthew Parsons and 1 others
PMID 39871616WHAT IT FOUND
People using mental health services reported worse physical health when they had long-term limiting conditions.
Many wanted help with medication side effects, healthy eating, walking, yoga and group activities.
Key findings
01Only 46 participants reported receiving information about potential physical side effects of their mental health or addiction medication.
02Participants with a physical health condition or disability lasting 6 months or more reported lower physical health summary scores than those without.
03Over 82.1% of participants expressed some interest in improving their physical health, and 65.3% preferred physical activity.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The survey response was low, so the views may not represent all service users. The study was self-reported and observational, so it cannot show that any factor caused worse physical health. The interview group was selected from the first people who consented, which is a small and non-random group. Some survey items had missing data, so percentages may not total 100%. The paper contains inconsistent statements about whether more GP visits were associated with lower or higher physical health scores. The study timeframe and possible COVID-19 effects are noted as limitations.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. Funding was named as the University of Waikato.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that any intervention improved physical health. This paper reports self-reported views and associations, not tested treatments. It also gives inconsistent directions for GP visits and physical health scores.