Mental and physical health

Population Mental Health ◽

Until recently the biomedical model dominated thinking about both physical health and mental health in Western society. It is now more useful to frame health as an integrated totality—one that includes physiological functioning, psychological and spiritual processes, and behaviour. This chapter explores this emerging agenda and focuses on well-being and prevention, particularly where well-being and prevention impact on both physical and mental illness. Evidence tells us that by strengthening mental health and well-being we not only reduce the risk of mental illness, but we also enhance physical health and population health more widely. Equally, improving physical health has a significantly positive influence on population mental health. We can increasingly exploit our understanding of these interconnections and release their potential to tackle some of the pressing health and well-being challenges we face. We have an opportunity to meaningfully draw physical and mental health together as a mutually dependent, integrated whole.

The glass is not half empty: optimism, pessimism, and health among older adults

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610219000498 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 135-139 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Michael D. Barnett ◽

Ellen A. Anderson

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

Physical Health ◽

Short Form ◽

Well Being ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Life Orientation Test ◽

ABSTRACTObjectives:Optimism and pessimism are distinct constructs that have demonstrated independent relationships with aspects of health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether optimism or pessimism is more closely linked with physical and mental health among older adults.Design:Cross-sectional survey.Participants:Community-dwelling older adults (N = 272) ages 59–95 in the southern United States.Measurements:The Life Orientation Test—Revised and the Short Form 8.Results:At the bivariate level, optimism was associated with higher physical health and mental health, while pessimism was associated with lower physical health and mental health. Multiple-regression analyses as well as comparison of correlation coefficients found that pessimism was more closely associated with physical health and mental health than optimism.Conclusions:These results add to the literature suggesting that, in terms of older adults’ health and well-being, avoiding pessimism may be more important than being optimistic.

Treatment Regret, Mental and Physical Health Indicators of Psychosocial Well-Being among Prostate Cancer Survivors

Current Oncology ◽

10.3390/curroncol28050333 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 28 (5) ◽

pp. 3900-3917 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Cassidy Bradley ◽

Gabriela Ilie ◽

Cody MacDonald ◽

Lia Massoeurs ◽

Jasmine Dang Cam-Tu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Prostate Cancer ◽

Physical Health ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Health Indicators ◽

Well Being ◽

Prostate Cancer Survivors ◽

Spiritual Well Being ◽

Prostate cancer (PCa) patients and survivors are at high risk of mental health illness. Here, we examined the contribution of treatment regret, mental and physical health indicators to the social/family, emotional, functional and spiritual well-being of PCa survivors. The study assessed 367 men with a history of PCa residing in the Maritimes Canada who were surveyed between 2017 and 2021. The outcomes were social/family, emotional, functional and spiritual well-being (FACT-P,FACIT-Sp). Predictor variables included urinary, bowel and sexual function (UCLA-PCI), physical and mental health (SF-12), and treatment regret. Logistic regression analyses were controlled for age, income, and survivorship time. Poor social/family, emotional, functional and spiritual well-being was identified among 54.4%, 26.5%, 49.9% and 63.8% of the men in the sample. Men who reported treatment regret had 3.62, 5.58, or 4.63 higher odds of poor social/family, emotional, and functional well-being, respectively. Men with low household income had 3.77 times higher odds for poor social/ well-being. Good mental health was a protective factor for poor social/family, emotional, functional, or spiritual well-being. Better physical and sexual health were protective factors for poor functional well-being. Seeking to promote PCa patients’ autonomy in treatment decisions and recognizing this process’ vulnerability in health care contexts is warranted.

Expanding collaborative care: integrating the role of dietitians and nutrition interventions in services for people with mental illness

Australasian Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/1039856217726690 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

pp. 47-49 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Scott B Teasdale ◽

Geogina Latimer ◽

Annette Byron ◽

Vanessa Schuldt ◽

Josephine Pizzinga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Physical Health ◽

Dietary Intervention ◽

Nutrition Therapy ◽

Dietary Practices ◽

Physical Health Outcomes ◽

People With Mental Illness ◽

Objective: This article aims to draw mental health clinicians’ attention to the connections between nutrition and mental health, and the roles that Accredited Practising Dietitians play in improving mental and physical health through dietary change. Methods: Selective narrative review. Results: Unhealthy dietary practices are common in high prevalence and severe mental illness. Epidemiological evidence demonstrates that nutrients and dietary patterns impact on mental health. In addition, poor physical health is well documented in people with mental illness and the greatest contributor to the mortality gap. Dietary intervention studies demonstrate improved mental and physical health outcomes. Accredited Practising Dietitians translate nutrition science into practical advice to improve the nutritional status of patients with mental illness, and prevent and manage comorbidities in a variety of care settings. Conclusions: Medical Nutrition Therapy offers opportunities to improve the physical and mental health of people living with mental illness.

The Prevalence and Health Impacts of Frequent Work Discrimination and Harassment among Women Firefighters in the US Fire Service

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2019/6740207 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2019 ◽

pp. 1-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sara A. Jahnke ◽

Christopher K. Haddock ◽

Nattinee Jitnarin ◽

Christopher M. Kaipust ◽

Brittany S. Hollerbach ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Physical Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Fire Service ◽

Poor Health ◽

Women Firefighters ◽

The Impact ◽

Intro. Both discrimination and harassment directly impact mental and physical health. Further, workplace discrimination degrades workplace culture and negatively impacts health behaviors, job-related outcomes, and family dynamics. Women represent a small proportion of the fire service and are often the targets of discrimination/harassment, yet little research documents the impact of such experiences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between chronic work discrimination and/or harassment and women firefighters’ (FFs) physical and mental health, substance abuse, and job efficacy, stress, and satisfaction. Methods. Snowball sampling was used to solicit participation from women career FFs. Participants completed an online survey regarding physical and mental health, health behavior, job efficacy/stress/satisfaction, and family well-being. Logistic regression examined the impact of work discrimination-harassment severity on dichotomous variables. Results. 1,773 had complete data on their experiences with work-related discrimination and harassment. Women reported experiencing verbal (37.5%) and written (12.9%) harassment, hazing (16.9%), sexual advances (37.4%), and assaults (5.1%) in the fire service. FFs in the highest tertile of work discrimination-harassment severity reported over 40% more poor health days in the last 30 days (OR=1.42; 95%CI=1.33-1.51; p<0.001). Women who experienced moderate and severe discrimination/harassment had negative mental health outcomes including higher prevalence of depressive symptoms, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Those who experienced high rates of discrimination and/or harassment also were more likely to report issues with alcohol consumption. Conclusion. The impact of discrimination and harassment, related negative physical and mental outcomes, low levels of job satisfaction, and negative impact of these experiences on family/home stress likely take a significant toll on women in the fire service. Findings confirm and extend previous work suggesting there is a need to improve the mental and physical health of women FFs. Future work should examine the prospective relationship between discrimination/harassment and poor health outcomes and potential policies/practices to reduce these negative behaviors.

Do Objective or Subjective Neighborhood Indicators Protect Against Adversity on Mental Health and Well-Being?

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.1514 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 391-391

Author(s):

Frank Infurna ◽

Kevin Grimm ◽

Suniya Luthar ◽

Omar Staben

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Longitudinal Data ◽

Physical Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Neighborhood Context ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Neighborhood Factors ◽

Middle Aged Adults ◽

Abstract The neighborhood context through which individuals interact is shown to be associated with mental and physical health across adulthood. Much less is known regarding potential underlying reasons why, such as protecting against the deleterious effects of stress. This study explores whether objective and subjective neighborhood factors are associated with maintenance of mental health and well-being in the context of monthly adversity. We use longitudinal data from a sample of midlife (N =362) who completed monthly questionnaires for two years. Results show that experiencing a monthly adversity was associated with poorer mental health and well-being. Living in a neighborhood with more disorder was associated with stronger declines in mental health and well-being when a monthly adversity was reported. Our discussion focuses on why the neighborhood context is relevant for middle-aged adults and the various ways through which neighborhood context has the potential to shape the course of development in adulthood.

Food for thought: the importance of nutritional well-being during COVID-19

Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/ipm.2021.2 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

L. Burke-Furey ◽

F. McNicholas

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Life Expectancy ◽

Nutritional Status ◽

Crucial Role ◽

Well Being ◽

Balanced Diet ◽

Current Experience ◽

Roll Out

Individuals with mental illness have poorer physical health, nutritional status, and lowered life expectancy. Optimising their physical and nutritional status has become an increasingly important therapeutic goal. Current experience with COVID-19 has further emphasised the susceptibility to physical illness and poorer outcomes amongst individuals with mental illness and those who are nutritionally compromised. Although life as we knew it has been suspended until the widespread roll-out of a vaccine, individuals can take immediate action to improve physical and mental health by attending to and optimising their nutritional well-being. Clinicians within mental health services have a crucial role to play in assisting such change, and reminding their patients of the importance of pursuing a healthy and balanced diet.

Home Goals: A study looking at improving mental and physical health and well-being in young people using short physical activity and psychological education sessions

http://isrctn.com/ ◽

10.1186/isrctn16814810 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Victoria Laker

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Young People ◽

Physical Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychological Education ◽

Presence of a Secondary Caregiver Differentiates Primary Cancer Caregiver Well-being

10.21203/rs.3.rs-427046/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Maria Thomson ◽

Maureen Wilson-Genderson ◽

Laura A Siminoff

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Health ◽

Multilevel Models ◽

Case Series ◽

Primary Caregivers ◽

Well Being ◽

Hematological Cancer ◽

Cancer Caregiver ◽

Over Time

Abstract Background Informal caregivers play a fundamental role in the care of hematological cancer patients, but less is known about how secondary caregivers are involved. We assessed the presence or absence of a secondary caregiver, the types of caregiving activities performed by primary and secondary caregivers and examined whether the presence of a secondary caregiver was associated with primary caregiver characteristics and wellbeing over time. Methods A case series of hematological cancer patient-caregiver dyads (n = 171) were recruited from oncology clinics in Virginia and Pennsylvania and followed for 2 years. Multi-level models were developed to examine the associations between presence of a secondary caregiver and the primary caregivers’ well-being. Results Most (64.9%) primary caregivers reported having secondary caregivers. Multilevel models showed primary caregivers without help had higher baseline mental and physical health, but experienced deteriorating physical health overtime, compared to supported primary caregivers. Supported primary caregivers reported improvements in mental health over time that was associated with improvements in physical health. Conclusions Primary caregivers in good physical and mental health at the beginning of their caregiving journey but who have the least assistance from others may be at greatest risk for detrimental physical health effects long term. Attention to the arrangement of caregiving roles (i.e., who provides what care) overtime is needed to ensure that caregivers remain healthy and well supported.

Holistic Health: Does It Really Include Mental Health?

The Scientific World JOURNAL ◽

10.1100/tsw.2006.339 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. 2092-2099 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kimberly K. McClanahan ◽

Marlene B. Huff ◽

Hatim A. Omar

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Physical Health ◽

The United States ◽

Holistic Health ◽

Public Perceptions ◽

The Past ◽

Mind And Body ◽

The U.S

Holistic health, incorporating mind and body as equally important and unified components of health, is a concept utilized in some health care arenas in the United States (U.S.) over the past 30 years. However, in the U.S., mental health is not seen as conceptually integral to physical health and, thus, holistic health cannot be realized until the historical concept of mind-body dualism, continuing stigma regarding mental illness, lack of mental health parity in insurance, and inaccurate public perceptions regarding mental illness are adequately addressed and resolved. Until then, mental and physical health will continue to be viewed as disparate entities rather than parts of a unified whole. We conclude that the U.S. currently does not generally incorporate the tenets of holistic health in its view of the mental and physical health of its citizens, and provide some suggestions for changing that viewpoint.

Physical Health Profile and Associated Behavior During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Patients With Bipolar Disorder

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.759694 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Jon Dyg Sperling ◽

Nina Dalkner ◽

Christina Berndt ◽

Eva Fleischmann ◽

Michaela Ratzenhofer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Health ◽

Public Mental Health ◽

Brief Symptom Inventory ◽

Self Report ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Healthy Control ◽

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased psychological strain on public mental health and may impact behavioral, mental, and physical health, presumably with effects on patients with severe mental disorders. This study examines pandemic-related physical and mental health and (compensatory) behavioral changes, in patients with BD as compared to healthy control individuals.Method: Physical and mental health and self-reported changes in daily structure and behavior due to the pandemic were assessed using a self-constructed questionnaire and the brief symptom inventory (BSI) in Germany, Austria, and Denmark in individuals with BD and a healthy control group.Results: The present study included 118 individuals with BD and 215 healthy controls. Individuals with BD reported statistically significant higher physical risk burden, increased weight gain, more physical comorbidities, and a decrease in physical activity and they further reported higher rates of COVID-19 testing, had more worries concerning health, and experienced more anxiety but less social distancing.Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have a greater impact on physical health in individuals with BD than in healthy controls. Individuals with BD appear to be having more difficulties compensating their behavior due to the pandemic which could amplify the effect of risk factors associated with poorer physical health. This highlights the necessity for optimizing and targeting the overall treatment of both mental and physical health in patients with BD during periods with far-reaching changes such as the COVID-19 pandemic.Limitations: Sampling issues and self-report forms, selectivity (missing elderly, and those lacking access or knowledge of technology).