Risk prevalence, readiness and confidence to change lifestyle risk factors among clients of community mental health services.

OBJECTIVE: People with mental health conditions have high rates of chronic physical diseases, partially attributable to lifestyle risks factors. This study examined risk prevalence among community mental health service clients, their readiness and confidence to change, and associations with participant characteristics. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey of adult clients from 12 community mental health services across 3 local health districts in New South Wales, Australia, collected from 2021 to 2022. Participants (n = 486) completed a telephone interview determining five risk factors, and readiness and confidence to change these. Multiple binary logistic regression models determined associations between readiness and confidence (for each risk), and participant characteristics (demographics and diagnosis). RESULTS: Participants most commonly reported a diagnosis of schizophrenia (36.7%) or depression (21.1%). Risk factors were prevalent: ranging from 26% (harmful alcohol use) to 97% (poor nutrition). High readiness was greatest for smoking (68%), weight (66%) and physical inactivity (63%), while confidence was highest for changing alcohol use (67%). Two significant associations were identified; females were more likely than males to have high readiness to change nutrition (odds ratio = 1.14, confidence interval = [1.13, 2.34], p = 0.0092), with males more likely to have high confidence to change physical activity (odds ratio = 0.91, confidence interval = [0.45, 0.99], p = 0.0109). CONCLUSIONS: Many participants were ready and confident to change risk factors. Gender influenced readiness to change nutrition and physical activity confidence. Training to upskill mental health clinicians in provision of preventive care that builds confidence and readiness levels may aid in supporting positive behaviour change.

Increasing chronic disease preventive care in community mental health services: clinician-generated strategies.

BACKGROUND: People with a mental health condition experience a high prevalence of chronic disease risk behaviours e.g., tobacco smoking and physical inactivity. Recommended 'preventive care' to address these risks is infrequently provided by community mental health services. This study aimed to elucidate, among community mental health managers and clinicians, suggestions for strategies to support provision of preventive care. METHODS: Three qualitative focus groups (n = 14 clinicians) were undertaken in one regional community mental health service to gather perspectives of barriers to preventive care provision, deductively coded against the domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Drawing on the learnings from the focus groups, individual interviews (n = 15 managers and clinicians) were conducted in two services to identify suggestions for strategies to increase preventive care. Strategies were inductively coded and mapped into TDF domains. RESULTS: Barriers were identified across a wide range of TDF domains, most notably knowledge and environmental context and resources. Nine strategies were identified across three themes: training, resources and systems changes; mapping to all 14 TDF domains. CONCLUSION: Future research seeking to increase implementation of preventive care may be guided by these findings. There is need for greater recognition and resourcing of preventive care as a priority and integral component of mental health treatment.

Co-development of implementation strategies to assist staff of a mental health community managed organisation provide preventive care for health behaviours.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: People with a mental health condition are at risk of developing chronic physical disease due to smoking tobacco, inadequate nutrition, high alcohol consumption, low physical activity and poor sleep (SNAPS). Community managed organisations (CMOs) represent an opportune setting to support mental health consumers to improve their health behaviours through providing preventive care. Reporting of methods used to co-develop implementation strategies to assist CMO staff to deliver preventive care for SNAPS are scarce yet warranted. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to: (1) describe a co-development workshop involving CMO staff and researchers to identify preferred implementation support strategies to help staff routinely provide preventive care; (2) describe the strategies that emerged from the workshop; and (3) report staff ratings of the workshop on four co-development principles. METHODS: A three-hour co-development workshop was conducted on two occasions with staff of one CMO in New South Wales, Australia. Twenty staff participated in the workshops. RESULTS: Participants generated and ranked a total of seven discrete implementation strategies within five categories (training, point of care prompts, guidelines, continuous quality improvement and consumer activation). Training for staff to have difficult conversations about behaviour change was ranked highest in both workshops. Participants rated the workshops positively across four co-development principles. CONCLUSIONS: The co-development workshop enabled implementation strategies to be developed within the context in which they were to be delivered and tested, potentially increasing their feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness and impact. SO WHAT?: Implementation strategies selected from the workshops will inform a pilot implementation support trial to assist CMO staff to provide preventive care to people with mental health conditions.

Effectiveness of nutrition and dietary interventions for people with serious mental illness: systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To review recent published trials of nutrition and dietary interventions for people with serious mental illness; to assess their effectiveness in improving metabolic syndrome risk factors. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised and non-randomised controlled trials of interventions with a nutrition/diet-related component delivered to people with serious mental illness, published 1 January 2010 - 6 September 2021. Primary outcomes were weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference. Secondary outcomes were total serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood glucose levels. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and CENTRAL databases. In addition, reference lists of relevant publications were examined for further additional studies. DATA SYNTHESIS: Twenty-five studies encompassing 26 intervention arms were included in our analysis. Eight studies were at low or some risk of bias, seventeen were deemed to be at high risk. Eight of seventeen intervention arms found statistically significant intervention effects on weight, ten of 24 on BMI, and seven of seventeen on waist circumference. The pooled effects of nutrition interventions on metabolic syndrome risk factors were statistically non-significant. However, we identified small size effects on weight for interventions delivered by dietitians (five studies; 262 intervention, 258 control participants; standardised mean difference [SMD], -0.28; 95% CI, -0.51 to -0.04) and interventions consisting of individual sessions only (three studies; 141 intervention, 134 control participants; SMD, -0.30; 95% CI, -0.54 to -0.06). CONCLUSIONS: We found only limited evidence for nutrition interventions improving metabolic syndrome risk factors in people with serious mental illness. However, they may be more effective when delivered on an individual basis or by dietitians. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42021235979 (prospective).

Self-reported suboptimal sleep and receipt of sleep assessment and treatment among persons with and without a mental health condition in Australia: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Poor sleep and poor mental health go hand in hand and, together, can have an adverse impact on physical health. Given the already disproportionate physical health inequities experienced by people with a mental health condition worldwide, the need to consider and optimise sleep has been highlighted as a means of improving both physical and mental health status. Sleep recommendations recently developed by the United States' National Sleep Foundation incorporate a range of sleep parameters and enable the identification of 'suboptimal' sleep. Among community-dwelling persons with and without a 12-month mental health condition in Australia, this study reports: [1] the prevalence of 'suboptimal' sleep and [2] rates of sleep assessment by a health care clinician/service and receipt of and desire for sleep treatment. METHODS: A descriptive study (N = 1265) was undertaken using self-report data derived from a cross-sectional telephone survey of Australian adults, undertaken in 2017. RESULTS: Fifteen per cent (n = 184) of participants identified as having a mental health condition in the past 12 months. Across most (7 of 8) sleep parameters, the prevalence of suboptimal sleep was higher among people with a mental health condition, compared to those without (all p < 0.05). The highest prevalence of suboptimal sleep for both groups was seen on measures of sleep duration (36-39% and 17-20% for people with and without a mental health condition, respectively). In terms of sleep assessment and treatment, people with a mental health condition were significantly more likely to: desire treatment (37% versus 16%), have been assessed (38% versus 12%) and have received treatment (30% versus 7%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of suboptimal sleep among persons with a mental health condition in Australia is significantly higher than those without such a condition, and rates of assessment and treatment are low for both groups, but higher for people with a mental health condition. Population health interventions, including those delivered as part of routine health care, addressing suboptimal sleep are needed.

Effectiveness of embedding a specialist preventive care clinician in a community mental health service in increasing preventive care provision: A randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Clinical practice guidelines recommend that community mental health services provide preventive care for clients' chronic disease risk behaviours; however, such care is often not routinely provided. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of offering clients an additional consultation with a specialist clinician embedded within a community mental health service, in increasing client-reported receipt of, and satisfaction with, preventive care. METHOD: A randomised controlled trial was undertaken in one Australian community mental health service. Participants (N = 811) were randomised to receive usual care (preventive care in routine consultations; n = 405) or usual care plus the offer of an additional consultation with a specialist preventive care clinician (n = 406). Blinded interviewers assessed at baseline and 1-month follow-up the client-reported receipt of preventive care (assessment, advice and referral) for four key risk behaviours individually (smoking, poor nutrition, alcohol overconsumption and physical inactivity) and all applicable risks combined, acceptance of referrals and satisfaction with preventive care received. RESULTS: Analyses indicated significantly greater increases in 12 of the 18 preventive care delivery outcomes in the intervention compared to the usual care condition from baseline to follow-up, including assessment for all risks combined (risk ratio = 4.00; 95% confidence interval = [1.57, 10.22]), advice for all applicable risks combined (risk ratio = 2.40; 95% confidence interval = [1.89, 6.47]) and offer of referral to applicable telephone services combined (risk ratio = 20.13; 95% confidence interval = [2.56, 158.04]). For each component of care, there was a significant intervention effect for at least one of the individual risk behaviours. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with preventive care received, ranging from 77% (assessment) to 87% (referral), with no significant differences between conditions. CONCLUSION: The intervention had a significant effect on the provision of the majority of recommended elements of preventive care. Further research is needed to maximise its impact, including identifying strategies to increase client uptake.

An economic evaluation of a specialist preventive care clinician in a community mental health service: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Clinical practice guidelines and policies direct community mental health services to provide preventive care to address chronic disease risks, however, such care is infrequently provided in routine consultations. An alternative model of care is to appoint a clinician to the dedicated role of offering and providing preventive care in an additional consultation: the 'specialist clinician' model. Economic evaluations of models of care are needed to determine the cost of adhering to guidelines and policies, and to inform pragmatic service delivery decisions. This study is an economic evaluation of the specialist clinician model; designed to achieve policy concordant preventive care delivery. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the incremental costs, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact of a 'specialist preventive care clinician' (an occupational therapist) was conducted in a randomised controlled trial, where participants were randomised to receive usual care; or usual care plus the offer of an additional preventive care consultation with the specialist clinician. The study outcome was client acceptance of referrals to two free telephone-based chronic disease prevention services. This is a key care delivery outcome mandated by the local health district policy of the service. The base case analysis assumed the mental health service cost perspective. A budget impact analysis determined the annual budget required to implement the model of care for all clients of the community mental health service over 5 years. RESULTS: There was a significantly greater increase from baseline to follow-up in the proportion of intervention participants accepting referrals to both telephone services, compared to usual care. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was $347 per additional acceptance of a referral (CI: $263-$494). The annual budget required to implement the model of care for all prospective clients was projected to be $711,446 over 5-years; resulting in 2616 accepted referrals. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation provides key information regarding the costs for the mental health service to adhere to policy targets, indicating the model of care involved a low per client cost whilst increasing key preventive care delivery outcomes. Additional modelling is required to further explore its economic benefits. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12616001519448. Registered 3 November 2016, https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=371709.

Smoking and Mental Illness: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Output Over Time.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of smoking among persons with a mental illness has remained unchanged, being 2-3 times higher than the general population in high-income countries. Assessment of the volume and characteristics of research output over time can assist in identifying research priorities to promote progress within a field. The aim of this study was to undertake such an assessment in the field of smoking and mental illness. METHODS: A descriptive repeat cross-sectional study was conducted of peer-reviewed publications in Medline and PsycINFO for the periods 1993-1995, 2003-2005, and 2013-2015. Publications were classified as data- or non-data-based; data-based publications were further categorized by study type, population, setting, and for intervention-focused publications by level of evidence and research translation phase. RESULTS: Included were 547 articles published in 1993-1995 (n = 65), 2003-2005 (n = 153), and 2013-2015 (n = 329). The number and proportion of data-based publications significantly increased over time, although their focus remained predominantly descriptive (≥83%); less than 14% of publications in any period had an intervention focus. The proportion of publications reporting on study populations with multiple diagnostic categories and recruiting from nonmental health settings, significantly increased from 1993-1995 to 2003-2005, however then plateaued by 2013-2015. The level of evidence provided by intervention-focused publications was suggested to increase over time, however there was no evident variation in translation phase. CONCLUSIONS: Research has increased over time to characterize smoking among those with a mental illness; however more is needed to inform the development and implementation of effective cessation interventions for this group. IMPLICATIONS: This is the first study to examine the volume and characteristics of research publications in the field of smoking and mental illness over time. The number of publications increased fivefold between 1993-1995 and 2013-2015. Between 1993-1995 and 2003-2005, progression was also indicated by increased: data-based publications, diagnostic diversity of samples, and variation in study settings; however further increases in such measures were not evident in 2013-2015. Notably, it continues to be the case that few intervention studies are undertaken. To achieve meaningful changes in the smoking prevalence of this group, a greater focus on research that assesses the effectiveness and implementation of tailored cessation interventions is required.

Evaluation of an implementation support package to increase community mental health clinicians' routine delivery of preventive care for multiple health behaviours: a non-randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: People with a mental health condition are more likely to engage in risk behaviours compared to people without. Delivery of preventive care to improve such behaviours is recommended for community mental health services, but inadequately implemented. This study assessed the effectiveness of an implementation support package on clinicians' delivery of preventive care (assessment, advice, referral) for four risk behaviours (tobacco smoking, harmful alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, inadequate fruit and vegetable intake) compared to no implementation support. The participatory approach to developing the support package, and fidelity of the implementation strategies, are also described. METHODS: A non-randomised controlled trial was undertaken in 2019-2020 with two community mental health services (control and target) in one health district in New South Wales, Australia. A 4-month support package consisting of multiple implementation strategies was delivered to one site following a two-phase participatory design process. Five implementation strategies were proposed to service managers by researchers. After consultation with managers and clinicians, the final implementation support package included four strategies: training and education materials, enabling resources and prompts, client activation material, and audit and feedback. Client-reported receipt of the three elements of preventive care for the four risk behaviours was collected from a cross-sectional sample of clients who had recently attended the service at baseline (6 months) and follow-up (5 months). Logistic regression models examined change in receipt of preventive care to assess effectiveness. RESULTS: A total of 860 client surveys were completed (control baseline n = 168; target baseline n = 261; control follow-up n = 164; and target follow-up n = 267). Analyses revealed no significant differential changes in preventive care receipt between the target and control sites from baseline to follow-up, including across the four primary outcomes: assessed for all behaviours (OR = 1.19; 95% CI 0.55, 2.57; p = 0.65); advised for all relevant risk behaviours (OR = 1.18; 95% CI 0.39, 3.61; p = 0.77); referred for any relevant risk behaviour (OR = 0.80; 95% CI 0.40, 1.63; p = 0.55); and complete care (OR = 3.11; 95% CI 0.62, 15.63; p = 0.17). Fidelity of the implementation strategies was limited as one of the four strategies (audit and feedback) was not delivered, components of two strategies (enabling resources and prompts, and client activation material) were not delivered as intended, and one strategy (education and training) was delivered as intended although some components were offered late in the implementation period. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation support package was ineffective at increasing preventive care delivery. Further investigation is required to determine optimal participatory design methods to develop effective implementation strategies, including those that support delivery of care in community mental health settings within the ongoing context of uncertain environmental challenges. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12619001379101.

Clustering of chronic disease risks among people accessing community mental health services.

This study identified clusters of chronic disease risks and explored associations between clusters and demographic characteristics and mental health conditions, among people accessing community mental health services. Data from a cross-sectional telephone survey of Australian mental health consumers (n = 567) were analysed. Clusters were identified based on tobacco smoking (53.5%), harmful chronic alcohol consumption (20.1%), harmful acute alcohol consumption (43.5%), inadequate fruit and vegetable intake (66.0%), inadequate physical activity (75.5%), inadequate strength activity (81.8%), and high body mass index (BMI) (67.9%), using latent class analysis. Multinomial logistic regression examined associations between cluster membership and participant characteristics. Three groups were identified: Cluster 1 (19.05%) had < 0.5 probabilities for most risks; Cluster 2 (34.04%) had high probabilities of all risks, particularly tobacco smoking and both types of harmful alcohol consumption; and Cluster 3 (46.91%) had high probabilities of both inadequate physical and strength activity, inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, and high BMI. Compared to Cluster 1 membership, participants with higher education were less likely to be in either Cluster 2 or 3, females or those over 55 were more likely to be in Cluster 3, those with a substance use disorder were more likely to be in Cluster 2, and those with a personality disorder were less likely to be in Cluster 3. The clustering patterns reinforce the importance of addressing multiple chronic disease risks for people with a mental health condition. Preventive care interventions targeting clusters of risks may help reduce the burden of chronic disease among this high-risk population.

Exploring Support Provided by Community Managed Organisations to Address Health Risk Behaviours Associated with Chronic Disease among People with Mental Health Conditions: A Qualitative Study with Organisational Leaders.

People living with mental health conditions experience a significantly reduced life expectancy compared to people without, largely linked to health risk behaviours and associated chronic disease. Community managed organisations (CMOs) represent an important setting in which to address health risk behaviours among people with mental health conditions. However, little is known about how these behaviours (smoking, poor nutrition, alcohol consumption, inadequate physical activity, poor sleep: SNAPS) are being addressed in this setting. One-on-one, semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with a sample of 12 senior staff, representing 12 CMOs in New South Wales, Australia to: (1) explore types of support provided by CMOs to address the SNAPS behaviours of consumers living with a mental health condition; and (2) assess perceived organisational and staff level barriers and facilitators to providing such support. Transcribed interviews were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. This study found there was a range of supports offered by CMOs, and these differed by health risk behaviour. Findings suggest CMOs are well-placed to embed SNAPS supports as a part of their service provision; however, available funding, consistency of supports, workplace policies and culture, collaboration with other available supports, staff training and education, all impacted capacity.

Characteristics and service use of NSW Quitline callers with and without mental health conditions.

Introduction: Smoking rates remain higher for people with a mental health condition compared to the general population and contribute to greater chronic disease burden and premature mortality. Quitline services offer telephone-based smoking cessation support to the public and have been shown to be effective. There is limited research exploring the characteristics of smokers with a mental health condition who use the Quitline or the impacts of using the service on their smoking behaviors. Methods: This observational study aimed to compare demographic and smoking related characteristics, service use and quit attempts of callers to the New South Wales Quitline (2016-2018) with and without a mental health condition (N = 4,219). Results: At baseline, 40% of callers reported a current mental health condition. Desire to quit smoking was similar for both groups, however participants with a mental health condition had higher nicotine dependency and had made more quit attempts prior to engaging with the service. During program enrolment, quit attempts and 24 hours smoke free periods were similar, however participants with a mental health condition engaged in a greater number of calls and over a longer period with Quitline compared to those without. Discussion: The findings suggest Quitline efficacy for people with a mental health condition in making a quit attempt for at least 24 h. Increasing the use of Quitline services and understanding service use for this critical group of smokers will increase the likelihood that their quit attempts are transformed into sustained periods of smoking abstinence. Future research should explore whether tailoring of Quitline service provision for people with mental health conditions may increase the likelihood of quit success.

The Effectiveness and Cost of an Intervention to Increase the Provision of Preventive Care in Community Mental Health Services: Protocol for a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

Preventive care to address chronic disease risk behaviours is infrequently provided by community mental health services. In this cluster-randomised controlled trial, 12 community mental health services in 3 Local Health Districts in New South Wales, Australia, will be randomised to either an intervention group (implementing a new model of providing preventive care) or a control group (usual care). The model of care comprises three components: (1) a dedicated 'healthy choices' consultation offered by a 'healthy choices' clinician; (2) embedding information regarding risk factors into clients' care plans; and (3) the continuation of preventive care by mental health clinicians in ongoing consultations. Evidence-based implementation strategies will support the model implementation, which will be tailored by being co-developed with service managers and clinicians. The primary outcomes are client-reported receipt of: (1) an assessment of chronic disease risks (tobacco smoking, inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption, harmful alcohol use and physical inactivity); (2) brief advice regarding relevant risk behaviours; and (3) referral to at least one behaviour change support. Resources to develop and implement the intervention will be captured to enable an assessment of cost effectiveness and affordability. The findings will inform the development of future service delivery initiatives to achieve guideline- and policy-concordant preventive care delivery.

Effectiveness of referral to a population-level telephone coaching service for improving health risk behaviours in people with a mental health condition: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: People with a mental health condition have a shorter life expectancy than the general population. This is largely attributable to higher rates of chronic disease and a higher prevalence of modifiable health risk behaviours including tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, poor nutrition, and physical inactivity. Telephone support services offer a viable option to provide support to reduce these health risk behaviours at a population-level; however, whilst there is some research pertaining to Quitlines, there is limited other research investigating whether telephone services may offer effective support for people with a mental health condition. This protocol describes a randomised controlled trial that aims to evaluate the referral of people with a mental health condition to a population-level telephone coaching service to increase physical activity, healthy eating, or weight management, and increase attempts to do so. METHODS: A parallel-group randomised controlled trial will be conducted recruiting participants with a mental health condition through community mental health services and advertisement on social media. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either a health information pack only (control) or a health information pack and a proactive referral to a free, government-funded telephone coaching service, the NSW Get Healthy Coaching and Information Service® (intervention), which offers up to 13 telephone coaching calls with a University Qualified Health Coach to assist with client-identified goals relating to physical activity, healthy eating, weight management, or alcohol reduction. Data will be collected via telephone surveys at baseline and 6 months post-recruitment. Primary outcomes are as follows: (1) minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, (2) serves of fruit consumed per day, (3) serves of vegetables consumed per day, and (4) a composite measure assessing attempts to change at least one health risk behaviour (any attempts to change physical activity, fruit consumption, vegetable consumption, or other parts of nutrition). Secondary outcomes include weight and body mass index. DISCUSSION: This study is the first to evaluate the effectiveness of referral to a population-level telephone support service for reducing health risk behaviours relating to physical activity, healthy eating, and weight in people with a mental health condition. Results will inform future policy and practice regarding the delivery of telephone-based behaviour change coaching services and the management of physical health for this population to reduce health inequity and the burden of chronic disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12620000351910 . Retrospectively registered on 12 March 2020.

Systematic review of lifestyle interventions to improve weight, physical activity and diet among people with a mental health condition.

BACKGROUND: People with a mental health condition experience an elevated risk of chronic disease and greater prevalence of health and behaviours. Lifestyle interventions aim to reduce this risk by modifying health behaviours such as physical activity and diet. Previous reviews exploring the efficacy of such interventions for this group have typically limited inclusion to individuals with severe mental illness (SMI), with a focus of impact on weight. This review assessed the efficacy of lifestyle interventions delivered in community or outpatient settings to people with any mental health condition, on weight, physical activity and diet. METHODS: Eligible studies were randomised or cluster-randomised controlled trials published between January 1999 and February 2019 aiming to improve weight, physical activity or diet, for people with any mental health condition. Two reviewers independently completed study screening, data extraction and assessment of methodological quality. Primary outcome measures were weight, physical activity and diet. Secondary outcome measures were body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, sedentary behaviour and mental health. Where possible, meta-analyses were conducted. Narrative synthesis using vote counting based on direction of effect was used where studies were not amenable to meta-analysis. RESULTS: Fifty-seven studies were included (49 SMI only), with 46 contributing to meta-analyses. Meta-analyses revealed significant (< 0.05) effect of interventions on mean weight loss (-1.42 kg), achieving 5% weight loss (OR 2.48), weight maintenance (-2.05 kg), physical activity (IPAQ MET minutes: 226.82) and daily vegetable serves (0.51), but not on fruit serves (0.01). Significant effects were also seen for secondary outcomes of BMI (-0.48 units) and waist circumference (-0.87cm), but not mental health (depression: SMD -0.03; anxiety: SMD -0.49; severity of psychological symptoms: SMD 0.72). Studies reporting sedentary behaviour were not able to be meta-analysed. Most trials had high risk of bias, quality of evidence for weight and physical activity were moderate, while quality of evidence for diet was low. CONCLUSION: Lifestyle interventions delivered to people with a mental health condition made statistically significant improvements to weight, BMI, waist circumference, vegetable serves and physical activity. Further high-quality trials with greater consistency in measurement and reporting of outcomes are needed to better understand the impact of lifestyle interventions on physical activity, diet, sedentary behaviour and mental health and to understand impact on subgroups. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42019137197.

Multiple health behaviours and interest in change among people with a mental health condition: A brief report.

People with a mental illness experience a disproportionate burden of chronic disease morbidity and mortality; contributed to by a higher prevalence of health risk behaviours that increase the risk of chronic disease development. Amongst this population there is little understanding of multiple risk behaviour co-occurrence and client interest in improving multiple such risks. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken with a random selection of 557 clients of 12 community mental health services in Australia. Participants reported their engagement in health risk behaviours (tobacco smoking, harmful alcohol consumption, inadequate fruit and/or vegetable consumption, and inadequate physical activity), and those deemed 'at risk' reported whether they were seriously considering improving their risk behaviours. Almost all participants engaged in at least one risk behaviour (96.1%), with 78.4% of participants engaging in two or more risk behaviours. Of those with two risks, the most frequently paired behaviours were inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption and inadequate physical activity (39.7%); of those with three risks the most common combination was inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption, tobacco smoking and harmful alcohol consumption (42.5%). Of those at risk for all behaviours, 68.4% were interested in improving multiple behaviours, and 14% were interested in improving all; with these participants being most frequently interested in changing smoking, nutrition, and physical activity (19.3%), followed by all risk behaviours (14.0%). The findings strengthen the evidence that people with a mental illness are interested in improving their health risk behaviours and indicate a need to address the multiple health risks in this population group.

Awareness and use of telephone-based behaviour change support services among clients of a community mental health service.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of, and factors associated with, awareness and use of telephone-based behaviour change support services among clients of a community mental health service. METHODS: Adult clients (n=375) of one Australian community mental health service completed a telephone interview and self-reported not meeting Australian National Guidelines for smoking, nutrition, alcohol consumption and/or physical activity. Descriptive statistics summarised awareness and use of the New South Wales Quitline® and Get Healthy Service® for participants with lifestyle risk factors addressed by each service. Chi-squares and logistic regressions explored associations between client characteristics, and service awareness and use. RESULTS: Awareness (16.1%) and use (1.9%) of the Get Healthy Service was lower than that of Quitline (89.1%; 18.1%). Television was the most common source of awareness (39.7% Get Healthy Service; 74.0% Quitline). In the regression models, persons in a relationship were more likely to have heard of the Get Healthy Service (OR:2.19, CI:1.15-4.18), and persons aged 36-50 were more likely to have used the Quitline (OR:5.22, CI:1.17-23.37). CONCLUSIONS: Opportunities exist for increasing awareness and use of both services, particularly the Get Healthy Service, among clients of community mental health services. Implications for public health: Strategies to optimise reach for this population group are recommended.

Uptake of a preventive care consultation offered to clients of a community mental health service.

Preventive care to address client chronic disease risks is not frequently provided in community mental health services. Offering clients an additional preventive care consultation has been shown to increase client receipt of such care. The ability of this approach to have a beneficial impact at the population level is however dependent on its level of acceptability and uptake among clients. No studies have previously reported these outcomes when the additional consultation is universally offered to all clients of a community mental health service. To address this evidence gap, this descriptive study was undertaken to determine community mental health clients' (1) reported acceptability, in principle, of such a model of care, (2) of those who were offered the additional consultation, the level of uptake, and (3) clinical and socio-demographic characteristics associated with uptake. Participants were clients of one community mental health service in Australia. Data were collected in 2017 by telephone interviews and study records. Data from three distinct participant sub-groups are reported. In response to a hypothetical question, 79.3% of participants (n = 157) agreed that an offer of an additional preventive care consultation would be acceptable (Aim 1). Of the participants who were offered such a consultation (n = 264), 37.8% took up the offer (Aim 2); and no clinical or sociodemographic characteristics were significantly associated with uptake (Aim 3). Findings support the feasibility of this model of care. However, further research is needed to identify barriers to uptake, and effective strategies to enhance consultation uptake. Trial registration: ACTRN12616001519448.

The effectiveness of interventions to increase preventive care provision for chronic disease risk behaviours in mental health settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Clinical practice guidelines direct mental health services to provide preventive care to address client chronic disease risk behaviours, however, this care is not routinely provided. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesise evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions to increase provision of preventive care by mental health services; by care element (ask, assess, advice, assist, arrange) and risk behaviour (tobacco smoking, poor nutrition, harmful alcohol consumption, physical inactivity). Electronic bibliographic databases, Google Scholar, relevant journals, and included study reference lists were searched. Eligible studies were of any design with a comparison group that reported the effectiveness of an intervention to increase the provision of at least one element of preventive care for at least one risk behaviour in a mental health setting. Twenty studies were included, most commonly examining smoking (n = 20) and 'ask' (n = 12). Meta-analysis found interventions involving task shifting were effective in increasing smoking 'advice' (n = 2 RCTs; p = 0.009) and physical activity 'advice' (n = 2 RCTs; p = 0.002). Overall, meta-analysis and narrative synthesis indicated that effective intervention strategies (categorised according to the Effective Practice and Organisation of Care taxonomy) were: task shifting, educational meetings, health information systems, local consensus processes, authority and accountability, and reminders. The most consistent findings across studies were with regard to preventive care for smoking, while conflicting or limited evidence was found regarding other risk behaviours. While further rigorous research examining key risk behaviours is recommended, the findings may inform the selection of strategies for future interventions and service delivery initiatives.