Researchers at the University of Newcastle have been awarded $1.3 million in funding by the National Health and Medical Research Council to examine the capacity of community health services and preventative care for people with a mental health condition.
Professor Jenny Bowman, from the University of Newcastle's School of Psychology, will lead a team of researchers in a three year project which also includes experts from the University of Melbourne, Flinders University, and the Hunter Medical Research Institute.
Professor Bowman says a large number of potentially preventable risk factors, both social inequities and physical health conditions such as poor nutrition and low levels of physical activity, cause individuals with a mental health condition to die an average 10 to 15 years earlier than the general Australian population.
"Many folk with mental health problems experience social marginalization, isolation, are more likely to be of a lower socioeconomic status, less likely to be employed, be living under the poverty level, et cetera," Professor Bowman said.
"It's actually quite a complex range of those kind of factors that come into play."
According to Professor Bowman, clinical and structural issues such as inadequate time, low levels of clinician confidence, and a perceived lack of referral options contribute to a poorer provision of preventative care for people affected by a mental health condition.
Researchers are hoping to develop a new approach to mental health and encourage clinicians to incorporate preventative care strategies into their practice.
"This project, we hope, will at least provide people with an opportunity to have those lifestyle risk behaviours assessed, recognized, and then offered support in a way that is meaningful for them, feasible for them to take up, and is likely to work to actually help them change that behaviour."
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| Professor Jenny Bowman |
