Care coordinator views and experiences of physical health monitoring in clients with severe mental illness: A qualitative study.
BACKGROUND
Excess mortality among people with severe mental illness (SMI) is largely attributed to co-morbid physical illness. Improving the physical health of this population is critically important; however, physical health monitoring among people with SMI is often inadequate.


AIMS
This study aimed to facilitate an enhanced understanding of barriers to successfully attend to clients' physical health in mental health settings, through exploring care coordinators' views and experiences regarding their ability to monitor physical health in clients with SMI (specifically, psychosis).


METHODS
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven care coordinators from a South East London (UK) community mental health team. Data were analysed using thematic analysis principles.


RESULTS
Three themes were identified in these data, capturing (1) how care coordinators viewed the professional roles of other clinical staff and themselves, (2) views on barriers to the provision of physical healthcare and (3) factors that motivated care coordinators to attend to clients' physical health.


CONCLUSION
Our findings can inform efforts to implement physical healthcare interventions within mental health settings. Such insights are timely, as academic literature and guidelines regarding clinical practice increasingly promote the value of integrated provision of mental and physical healthcare.
['Gronholm|Petra C|PC|', 'Onagbesan|Oluwadamilola|O|', 'Gardner-Sood|Poonam|P|']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel D003156:Community Mental Health Services D005260:Female D006304:Health Status D006801:Humans D007407:Interviews as Topic D008131:London D008297:Male D001523:Mental Disorders D008875:Middle Aged D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic D024382:Professional Role D036301:Qualitative Research
excess mortality Psychosis community mental health attitudes health disparities treatment guidelines