Breadcrumb Links:

Projects

Investigating the physical health of consumers accessing community mental health care services

Investigators: Professor Brenda Happell, Ms Wendy Hoey, Dr David Scott, Mr Chris Platania-Phung

Funding Sources:

CQUniversity Australia Research Development Initiative Seed Grant

Office of Health and Medical Research, Queensland Health

Australian Centre for Health Services, Innovation Stimulus Grant Scheme

Project Summary:

Consumers of mental health services experience significantly increased rates of chronic disease and decreased life expectancies compared to general population. This is generally attributed to poor health behaviours and reduced access to primary care. However, little information is available on the contributions of health behaviours and health care to poor physical health in Australian mental health consumers, and particularly those living in regional areas.

This project will be completed at the Central Queensland Mental Health Service and will include up to 300 adult consumers receiving community mental health care. The study will include investigating consumer perceptions of health behaviours (such as physical activity, diet, smoking and substance use) and primary care access; objective measures of physical health (blood cholesterol and glucose, lung function and physical activity) and a 26-week pilot randomised controlled trial of a newly-developed specialist nursing role (the Cardiometabolic Health Nurse) in the study, to determine whether such a service results in improved primary care access and health outcomes for consumers.

This study is a national first in investigating the current physical health, health behaviours and health care of consumers in a regional setting, and the first trial of Cardiometabolic Health Nursing internationally. The findings from this research will make a substantial contribution to the development of interventions to address the significant health disparity experienced by Australian mental health consumers.

Expected commencement date: October 2012

Exploring the impact of consumer perspective in nursing education

Investigators: Ms Louise Byrne, Professor Brenda Happell, Associate Professor Tony Welch, Professor Lorna Moxham (University of Wollongong).

Funding Source: Institute for Health and Social Science Research, CQUniversity

Project Summary:

It is now an expectation of Australian mental health policy that consumers of mental health services have the opportunity to actively participate in the planning, delivery and evaluation of these services. The attitudes of mental health professions has been identified as a major barrier, reflecting stigmatized views about the capacity of consumers and a reluctance to relinquish power and welcome consumers to the decision making table. The active involvement of people with a lived experience of mental health service use in the education of health professionals has been identified as a strategy to influence more positive attitudes. CQUniversity has appointed an academic with a lived experience of mental health service use in a teaching role for undergraduate nursing students completing a course in the major in mental health nursing (Recovery in Mental Health Nursing).

There is only one known similar role in Australia therefore the research in this area is limited particularly in exploring undergraduate nursing student experiences of this approach.

This research will involve a qualitative exploratory approach. All nursing students undertaking the Course "Recovery in Mental Health Nursing" will be invited to participate in an individual in-depth interview. In addition, they will asked to consent to other information being used for research purposes including postings to on-line discussion forums, evaluations of residential school and excerpts from assignments.

Progress:

Interviews and data analysis completed.

Three manuscripts submitted. One accepted awaiting online publication.

The physical health of people with mental illness: a national survey of nurses

Investigators: Professor Brenda Happell, Dr David Scott, Mr Chris-Platnia-Phung

Funding source: Merit Grant Scheme and Research Advancement Award Scheme, CQUniversity

People with severe mental illness die at least two decades earlier than the general population and mostly due to preventable and treatable health problems. Many people with mental illness do not have contact with primary care (e.g. GP), therefore improved access to physical care, such as through nurses in mental health services could greatly reduce inequalities in health. Nurses are well placed to provide physical health care in mental health services. It is therefore important to find out what mental health nurses think about the physical health of consumers. However, there are no national surveys in Australia or elsewhere on mental health nurse views on physical health of consumers and the level of access and quality of care they get.

A survey has been distributed to members of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses. An email will be sent from the office of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses, seeking the views of nurses working in mental health, across Australia, on the following areas:

  • Level of physical health of mental health consumers
  • The relationship between consumers and health care services for physical health
  • Nursing practices in relation to physical health
  • Ways to extend/strengthen the role of nurses in physical health care
  • Needs and preferences on training in physical health care

Progress:

The survey is now closed and 643 completed responses were received. Data analysis is currently underway.