Improving physical health in severe mental illness (SMI) - focus on one risk at a time?

People with severe mental illness (SMI, such a bipolar disorder, psychoses, psychotic depression) on average live 15-20 years less than the general population. There are many factors causing this mortality gap - for example medication leading to weight gain and social inequalities that make people more likely to smoke, eat unhealthily and to have other health risks.

If we eat unhealthily, we're also less likely to exercise and more likely to smoke. Our research looked at if we should focus on tackling one of these health risks at a time. Or if there's more benefit from trying to change several health risks together.

The animation is based upon the results of our research project The HEALTH Study, conducted at the University of York, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. Animation produced with guidance from peer researchers.

This study/project is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) HS&DR (project reference 17/05/88). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

[maureenpayne]

A very interesting piece of research, particularly the point that people with extreme problems could benefit just as much from the interventions mentioned as people within the more normal range, Connor