BACKGROUND
Background: People with mental health disorders live on average 20 years less than those without, often due to poor physical health including cardio-vascular disease (CVD). Evidence-based interventions are required to reduce this lifespan gap.
OBJECTIVE
Objective: This study aimed to develop, trial, and evaluate a mobile-based lifestyle program (MyHealthPA) to help people with mental health problems improve key health risk behaviors and reduce their risk of CVD.
METHODS
Methods: The development of MyHealthPA occurred in three stages: (1) a review of the literature; (2) a scoping survey (n=251) among people with and without experience of mental health problems; and (3) program development informed by stages (1) and (2). A small pilot trial among young people with and without mental health (MH) disorders was also conducted. Participants completed a baseline assessment and given access to the MyHealthPA program for a period of eight weeks. They were then asked to complete an end-of-treatment assessment and a follow-up assessment one month later.
RESULTS
Results: Twenty-eight young people aged 19 to 25 years were recruited to the pilot trial. Of these, 12 (43%) had been previously diagnosed with a MI. Twelve participants (43%) completed the end-of-treatment assessment and six (21%) completed the follow-up assessment. Small improvements in fruit and vegetable consumption, level of physical activity, alcohol use, and mood were found between baseline and end-of-treatment and follow-up, particularly among people with experience of MH issues. Most participants (57-60%) reported the program had above average usability, however only 29-40% of participants reported that they would like to use the program frequently and would recommend it to other young people. Participants also identified a number of ways in which the program could be improved.
CONCLUSIONS
Conclusions: This article describes the formative research and process of planning that formed the development of MyHealthPA and the evidence base underpinning the approach. The MyHealthPA program represents an innovative approach to CVD risk reduction among people with mental health problems. MyHealthPA appears to be an acceptable, easy to use, and potentially effective mHealth intervention to assist young people with mental illness to monitor risk factors for CVD. However, ways in which the program could be improved for future testing and dissemination were identified and are discussed.
Mental Health Service Use and Outcomes After the Enschede Fireworks Disaster: A Naturalistic Follow-Up Study
