Can a brief health promotion intervention delivered by mental health key workers improve clients' physical health: A randomized controlled trial

Background: People with serious mental illness tend to have unhealthy lifestyles, poor physical health and high rates of premature death. These factors are potentially amenable to health promotion interventions. Such interventions are being developed but do not easily reach the most disabled clients. Aims: To measure whether a brief health promotion intervention delivered by mental health key workers can produce useful health gains in a population with serious mental illness. Method: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a particular health promotion package, using physiological and validated instruments to measure outcome. Results: The study population had a relatively unhealthy lifestyle at outset. The intervention produced some statistically significant reductions in cardiovascular risk factors but overall health gains were small. The drop out rate was high. Conclusions: People with serious mental illness are an appropriate target group for health promotion interventions. This intervention did not produce enough health gains to justify incorporation into standard care planning. A more intensive approach might achieve better outcomes.