Changing health workforce attitudes to promote improved physical health in mental health service users: Keeping our Staff in Mind (KoSiM)

Rosenbaum, Simon; Ward, Philip B.; Baldeo, Rishi; Fibbins, Hamish; Jarman, Rebecca; Lederman, Oscar; Perram, Amy; Poole, Josephine; Rossimel, Elisa; Smith, Gabriella; Teasdale, Scott; Wade, Tammy; Watkins, Andrew; White, Annette; Pearce, David A.; Curtis, Jackie

doi:10.1002/hpja.320

Cited by 21 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…It may, therefore, be that an intervention to increase PA and reduce SB among mental health professionals would have indirect positive effects on their PA and SB counselling practices. The results of our study are in accordance with the recent findings of Rosenbaum et al [47] who found improvements in perceived barriers, attitudes, knowledge and confidence in promoting physical health in clients following a lifestyle intervention among clinical and non-clinical mental health staff working in mental health services in Australia.…”

Section: Plos Onesupporting

confidence: 92%

Physical activity and sedentary behaviour counselling: Attitudes and practices of mental health professionals

et al. 2021

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Background Despite recent interest in the mental health benefits of increasing physical activity (PA) and reducing sedentary behaviour (SB), little is known about PA and SB counselling provided by mental health professionals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the attitudes and practices of mental health professionals in recommending more PA and less SB to their clients. Methods Quantitative data were collected using a modified version of the Exercise in Mental Illness Questionnaire in a sample of 17 Australian mental health professionals. The collected data were reported using percentages (for categorical data) and means and standard deviations (for numerical data). Additionally, in focus group discussions, 10 mental health professionals provided in-depth information about their clinical practice, facilitators, and perceived barriers in recommending more PA and less SB. They also provided suggestions on how to potentially improve their PA and SB counselling practices. The focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Results Only 35.3% of participants have undergone formal training in recommending PA in the treatment of mental illness. Most participants (64.7%) ranked PA counselling among the top three types of mental health treatment. All participants reported recommending PA to their clients at least “occasionally”, while 88% of them also provided SB counselling. However, the recommendations provided were usually not specific. The most commonly reported barriers for providing PA and SB counselling were a lack of knowledge and confidence. Participants also believed that, if they were more active themselves, they would be in a better position to recommend PA to their clients, by sharing their own experience of evidence-informed strategies designed to increase PA and reduce SB. Conclusion The findings of this study indicate that mental health professionals commonly provide generic PA and SB counselling to their clients. PA and SB counselling in the mental health setting could be improved by: including training on PA and SB counselling in formal education and continued professional training for mental health professionals; implementing interventions to increase PA and reduce SB among mental health professionals themselves; and ensuring support from an exercise or PA promotion specialist as a part of a multi-disciplinary approach to mental health care.

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Section: Plos Onesupporting

confidence: 92%

Physical activity and sedentary behaviour counselling: Attitudes and practices of mental health professionals

et al. 2021

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“…As previously noted, overall outcomes of the KoSiM intervention have been previously reported, 27 and this report focuses on the exercise component of the intervention.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 77%

“…An overall description of the KoSiM intervention and outcomes has been published. 27 This report focuses on the impact on exercise and fitness outcomes for wave 2 of KoSiM. Only fitness data from wave 2 were analysed due to limited data collection of fitness measures during wave 1.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of a brief lifestyle intervention targeting mental health staff: analysis of physical fitness and activity in the Keeping Our Staff in Mind study

Fibbins

Ward

Curtis

et al. 2020

BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med

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BackgroundPeople with mental illness die on average 15 years less than the general population, primarily to cardiometabolic disease. Lifestyle interventions are effective in reducing cardiometabolic risk but are not routinely provided to mental health consumers. Lifestyle interventions targeting mental health staff may be beneficial in changing culture surrounding physical health and subsequently improving consumer outcomes. This study examines exercise and fitness outcomes of a targeted lifestyle intervention directed at Australian mental health staff.MethodsA pragmatic single-arm intervention study was conducted within an Australian public mental health service. Mental health staff were provided a five-session individualised lifestyle intervention (incorporating exercise and nutritional counselling) over 5 weeks. Two waves of the programme were delivered between 2015 and 2016. This paper examines the exercise and fitness outcomes of the second wave of the study. Participants were assessed at baseline and at a 16-week follow-up. The primary exercise outcome was a measurement of cardiorespiratory fitness. Secondary outcomes included self-reported physical activity and a measurement of handgrip strength.ResultsA total of 106 staff participated in this component of the study. Cardiorespiratory fitness increased significantly from baseline to follow-up (p<0.001). Significant improvements to physical activity occurred with decreases in sedentary time (p<0.0005) and increases in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (p<0.005).ConclusionLifestyle interventions incorporating exercise counselling may improve the physical health of mental health staff. Such strategies may be effective in improving culture surrounding physical health and/or increasing the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions targeting mental health consumers.

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“…A description of the entire KoSiM program is described elsewhere. 17 Briefly, the structured, multidisciplinary program consisted of an initial assessment by a mental health Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC), a dietitian and an exercise physiologist.…”

Section: Me Thodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Keeping our staff in mind: Dietary results of a lifestyle intervention targeting mental health staff

Rossimel

Teasdale

Poole

et al. 2020

Health Prom J of Aust

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The physical health concerns of people with severe mental illness (SMI) has long been under-diagnosed and under-treated, and consequently high rates of premature mortality within this group exist. 1,2 The SMIs refer to those with a psychotic component, such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder and depression with psychotic features. The life expectancy for someone with an SMI is on average 15 years younger than the general population. 3 This gap, labelled as a "scandal of premature mortality" 4 and "one of the biggest health scandals of our time", 5 is widening as the general population experiences an increase in life expectancy. 4

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Changing health workforce attitudes to promote improved physical health in mental health service users: Keeping our Staff in Mind (KoSiM)

Cited by 21 publications

References 29 publications

Physical activity and sedentary behaviour counselling: Attitudes and practices of mental health professionals

Physical activity and sedentary behaviour counselling: Attitudes and practices of mental health professionals

Effectiveness of a brief lifestyle intervention targeting mental health staff: analysis of physical fitness and activity in the Keeping Our Staff in Mind study

Keeping our staff in mind: Dietary results of a lifestyle intervention targeting mental health staff

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