Peer Support Shows Promise in Helping Persons Living with Mental Illness Address Their Physical Health Needs

2008 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Bates ◽  
Vivien Kemp ◽  
Mohan Isaac
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Public Mental Health ◽  
Support Service ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
People With Mental Illness

The physical health of individuals with long-term mental illnesses has long been of concern. In Western Australia, the overall mortality rate from preventable causes of people living with mental illness was reported to be 2.5 times greater than that of the general population. A trial peer support service was initiated to assist people with mental illness to attend to their physical health needs. This paper presents the planning, implementation, and results of this collaborative initiative involving nongovernment agencies, the public mental health service, consumers of mental health services, and the University of Western Australia.

Hopes and Challenges Moving Forward

2019 ◽  
pp. 549-582
Author(s):  
M. Daniele Fallin ◽  
Calliope Holingue ◽  
Laysha Ostrow ◽  
Philip J. Leaf ◽  
Ronald W. Manderscheid ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Emerging Technologies ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Public Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Clinical Interventions ◽  
Prevention And Treatment ◽  
The Impact

The field of public mental health has seen many advances in policy and discovery, yet there is much more to be done. We must move beyond a narrow focus on clinical interventions to now embrace the impact of community and population dynamics in promoting mental health, preventing mental illnesses, and fostering recovery. We must take advantage of emerging technologies, tools and strategies to expand discovery of the causes of mental illness that will inform new prevention and treatment strategies. Emerging tools can also guide the best implementation of individual and systems-level changes. Finally, we must continue to monitor the frequency of illness and related outcomes among individuals and populations to gauge our progress and highlight areas for continued improvement.

Mental health courts: Providing access to justice for people with mental illness and cognitive impairments

2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-107
Author(s):  
Liz Richardson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Cognitive Impairments ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Access To Justice ◽  
Mental Health Courts ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Trauma Informed ◽  
The Relationship

Mental health courts have been established in four Australian jurisdictions to provide a targeted response to people with mental illness and cognitive impairments coming through the courts. This article provides an up-to-date overview of Australian mental health courts, discusses the evidence base underpinning them and identifies three important emerging directions for their future operation. These are the need for a contextualised understanding of the relationship between mental illness and offending, the importance of trauma-informed approaches and the role that peer support workers can play in mental health courts.

scholarly journals Applying the World Health Organization Mental Health Action Plan to evaluate policy on addressing co-occurrence of physical and mental illnesses in Australia

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda Happell ◽  
Chris Platania-Phung ◽  
Stephanie Webster ◽  
Brian McKenna ◽  
Freyja Millar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
National Level ◽  
World Health ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Action ◽  
Health Action Plan

Objectives The aim of the present study was to document Australian policies on the physical health of people with mental illness and evaluate the capacity of policy to support health needs. Methods A search of state and federal policies on mental and physical illness was conducted, as well as detailed analysis of policy content and the relationships between policies, by applying the World Health Organization Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2020 as an evaluative framework. Results National policy attention to the physical health of people with mental illness has grown, but there is little interconnection at the national and state levels. State policies across the country are inconsistent, and there is little evidence of consistent policy implementation. Conclusions A coherent national health policy framework on addressing co-occurring physical and mental illnesses that includes healthcare system reforms and ensuring the interconnectedness of other relevant services should be prioritised. What is known about the topic? People with mental illness have a lower life expectancy and poorer physical health than people who do not have a mental illness. Government policy is critical to reducing inequalities in physical health and increasing longevity. What does this paper add? Evaluating policy developments against the World Health Organization’s Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2020, this review identified a lack of cohesive national-level policy on how to improve the physical health of people with mental illness. Although there are some state-based policies regarding strategies for better prevention and management of the physical health of people with mental illness, evidence of policy implementation is either scarce or inconsistent. The capacity of current policy to translate into reforms that increase the physical and overall health of people suffering mental health difficulties seems very limited. What are the implications for practitioners? This paper outlines major policy gaps and an overall need for a national-level policy. National-level leadership on integrated health care is required, with monitoring to ensure health care reforms are genuinely informed by consumer and clinician views and are effective.

Towards holistic dual diagnosis care: physical health screening in a Victorian community-based alcohol and drug treatment service

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara Jackson ◽  
Boyce Felstead ◽  
Jahar Bhowmik ◽  
Rachel Avery ◽  
Rhonda Nelson-Hearity
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Dual Diagnosis ◽  
Health Screening ◽  
Community Based ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Health Clients ◽  
Physical Health Screening

The poorer health outcomes experienced by people with mental illness have led to new directions in policy for routine physical health screening of service users. By contrast, little attention has been paid to the physical health needs of consumers of alcohol and other drug (AOD) services, despite a similar disparity in physical health outcomes compared with the general population. The majority of people with problematic AOD use have comorbid mental illness, known as a dual diagnosis, likely to exacerbate their vulnerability to poor physical health. With the potential for physical health screening to improve health outcomes for AOD clients, a need exists for systematic identification and management of common health conditions. Within the current health service system, those with a dual diagnosis are more likely to have their physical health surveyed and responded to if they present for treatment in the mental health system. In this study, a physical health screening tool was administered to clients attending a community-based AOD service. The tool was administered by a counsellor during the initial phase of treatment, and referrals to health professionals were made as appropriate. Findings are discussed in terms of prevalence, types of problems identified and subsequent rates of referral. The results corroborate the known link between mental and physical ill health, and contribute to developing evidence that AOD clients present with equally concerning physical ill health to that of mental health clients and should equally be screened for such when presenting for AOD treatment.

scholarly journals Newspaper depictions of mental and physical health

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 308-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marian Chen ◽  
Stephen Lawrie
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Advocacy Groups ◽  
Media Portrayals ◽  
Daily Newspapers ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Physical Disorders ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

Aims and methodMedia portrayals of mental illness have long been recognised as being misleading and stigmatising. Following the campaigns of several advocacy groups to address this issue, we aimed to evaluate the impact on mental health reporting over time. We repeated a survey we did 15 years ago using the same methods. Nine UK daily newspapers were surveyed over a 4-week period and coded with a schema to analyse the reporting of mental health compared with physical health.ResultsIn total, 963 articles – 200 on mental health and 763 on physical health – were identified. Over half of the articles on mental health were negative in tone: 18.5% indicated an association with violence compared with 0.3% of articles on physical health. However, there were more quotes from patients with mental disorders than physical disorders (22.5% v. 19.7%) and an equal mention of treatment and rehabilitation.Clinical implicationsMental health in print media remains tainted by themes of violence, however some improvement in reporting in recent years is evident, in particular by providing a voice for people with mental illness.

scholarly journals Preferences of people with mental illness for engaging in exercise programs under COVID-19 restrictions

2020 ◽  
pp. 103985622097529
Author(s):  
Justin J Chapman ◽  
Emily Hielscher ◽  
Sue Patterson ◽  
Nicola Reavley ◽  
Wendy J Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Physical Activity Program ◽  
Exercise Programs ◽  
Activity Program ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
The Impact

Objectives: People with mental illness may be vulnerable to decline in mental health and reduced physical activity because of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions. The aim of this study was to inform the design of physical activity interventions for implementation under these conditions to improve/maintain well-being and physical activity in this population. Methods: People with mental illness who had participated in a physical activity program prior to the pandemic were invited to complete a survey about the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and physical activity and their preferences for engaging in a physical activity program under pandemic-related restrictions. Results: More than half the 59 respondents reported worse mental health and lower physical activity during the pandemic. The preferred format for a physical activity program was one-on-one exercise instruction in-person in a park. Program components endorsed as helpful included incentivization, provision of exercise equipment and fitness devices, and daily exercise programs. About a third of the participants reported limitations in using technology for a physical activity program. Conclusions: In-person exercise support is preferred by people with mental illnesses during pandemic-related restrictions. Enablement strategies such as providing equipment and self-monitoring devices should be utilized; assistance may be needed to incorporate the use of technology in exercise programs.

Acceptance of Mental Illness

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren Mizock ◽  
Zlatka Russinova
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Recovery Movement ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
The Face ◽  
Mental Wellness ◽  
Serious Mental Illnesses ◽  
Diverse Groups

The book covers a topic that is often overlooked in the literature: How people with serious mental illnesses (i.e., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression) come to recognize and deal with the symptoms of a mental illness in order to promote recovery. Per the recovery movement in mental health, recovery is understood as not simply symptom elimination, but the process of living a meaningful and satisfying life in the face of mental illness. Acceptance of Mental Illness draws from research to provide educators, clinicians, researchers, and consumers with an understanding of the multidimensional process of acceptance of mental illness in order to support people across culturally diverse groups to experience empowerment, mental wellness, and growth. Chapters focus on providing a historical overview of the treatment of people with mental illness, examining the acceptance process, and exploring the experience of acceptance among women, men, racial–ethnic minorities, and LGBT individuals with serious mental illnesses. The book is a useful tool for mental health educators and providers, with each chapter containing case studies, clinical strategies lists, discussion questions, experiential activities, diagrams, and worksheets that can be completed with clients, students, and peers.

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

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-49 ◽  
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 ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Dietary Practices ◽  
Physical Health Outcomes ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

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.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document