Client Health Affects Recovery from Schizophrenia
Here is a brief report that I thought all of you would be interested
in. It speaks to the why of going smoke free here at Riverview
and why we are now going to be tracking Body Mass Index for
all our clients. We will be seeking ways to integrate our services,
following the idea that “Wellness” and “Health” include
body and mind and any separation is only conceptual.
First-Of-Its-Kind National Online Survey Uncovers Obstacles
to Comprehensive Healthcare
for People with Schizophrenia
The Majority of Respondents Feel Their Overall Health Affects
Their Recovery from Schizophrenia
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (January 29, 2007) – Mental Health America
today released results of the first national online survey to
examine overall healthcare in mental health settings from the
perspective of both people with schizophrenia and psychiatrists.
Results showed that although both groups are aware of actions
to improve overall health and quality of life, they are not
discussing such actions to the extent possible.
Mental Health
America conducted the survey in response to recent data showing
that people with serious mental illnesses – including
schizophrenia – die at least 25 years earlier than the
general population, largely due to preventable medical conditions
such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and respiratory and
infectious diseases. Nationwide, rates of chronic illnesses
such as heart disease and diabetes are at epidemic levels. Nowhere
is this public health dilemma more evident than in people with
serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, who die at nearly
twice the rate of the rest of the population from heart disease
and diabetes.
"We should all be alarmed and outraged that the lives
of people with schizophrenia are being cut short by 25 years,” said
David Shern, Ph.D., president and CEO of Mental Health America. “This
survey tells us that mental health providers and people with
schizophrenia must communicate more about issues like diet,
exercise and medication side effects if we’re to turn
the tide of this public health crisis and extend the lives
of the millions of Americans with schizophrenia."
While 40 percent of survey respondents have private health
insurance, they still report significantly higher rates of chronic
illnesses than the general population. 44% and 23% of all respondents
reported being obese and having diabetes, respectively, compared
to 26% and 8% of the general population.
Key survey findings
include:
- While many psychiatrists report asking or discussing general
health issues with their patients, 83% of psychiatrists
cited lack of time during patient visits as the main obstacle to providing
overall care; 74% feel they are not as well equipped to
address the patient’s overall health as are primary care
physicians.
- 82% of consumer respondents feel that treatment of their
overall health - not just their mental illness - is important
to their recovery. Yet nearly half expect their psychiatrist
to focus exclusively on their mental health (48%), rather than overall
and mental health.
Medication Side Effects
The survey also points to significant
concerns about medication side effects. Experts suggest that
some commonly-used mental health medications, namely second
generation atypical anti-psychotics, which are associated
with weight gain and other side effects, may be putting people
with schizophrenia at much greater risk for obesity and diabetes.
The survey found that:
- 69% of people with schizophrenia reported that they have
discontinued use of medication due to side effects
that negatively impacted their quality of life. Almost 40% of consumers
reported that the longest they had continuously remained on one medication
was less than a year.
- When choosing from a list of side effects considered when
prescribing antipsychotic medication, diabetes was most often
cited by prescribers, with 94% of psychiatrists considering it “extremely” or “quite” important.
“When people with schizophrenia stop their medications, their
mental health is jeopardized and they are not able to take the best
care of themselves,” said Joseph Parks, M.D., president of
the Medical Director’s Council of the National Association
of State Mental Health Program Directors. “As psychiatrists,
every one of us must redouble our efforts to protect the health
and promote the wellbeing of our patients with schizophrenia. I
think it’s outrageous
that over a quarter of psychiatrists don’t see this
as their responsibility to ensure patients receive appropriate
care for all health problems.”
About Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a chronic form of psychosis
that affects approximately 2.4 million adults[i] and at least
1.25 million families[ii] in the United States. The disease
is characterized by positive and negative symptoms such as
hallucinations, delusions, poverty of speech, disorganized thought
and emotional blunting.[iii] Severity of symptoms and the chronic
pattern of schizophrenia often cause a high degree of disability
for patients, impacting families, caregivers and communities.[iv] In 2002, schizophrenia cost the United States $62.7 billion.[v]
About
the Survey
"Communicating About Health: A Mental Health
America Survey of People with Schizophrenia and Providers” was
conducted by International Communications Research, a leading
independent research company. Surveys were conducted online
between September 17 and October 12, 2007 among a sample of
250 adults with schizophrenia (ages 18 and older) who had
been diagnosed by a qualified medical professional as a person
with schizophrenia and 250 psychiatrists.
The group of consumers
was provided by an online research panel that maintains a
nationwide sample of respondents and rigorously checks the
quality and validity of the sample. Average age of consumer
respondents was 38, with a majority being female (56%), Caucasian
(76%), employed – paid
or unpaid – (52%) and from various incomes and geographic
regions.
Physician respondents were comprised of practicing
psychiatrists who treat people with schizophrenia and are
members of a national, verified online research panel. Average
years in practice for physician respondents was 12, with
a majority being male (69%) and seeing 11 or more schizophrenia
patients each month (81%). Respondents were from various
geographic regions and worked in public, private and integrated
health settings. The margin of error for the survey is ± 6.2%.
The
survey was funded by an unrestricted educational grant
from Solvay Pharmaceuticals and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and by
an anonymous individual donation.
About Mental Health America
Mental Health America is the country's
leading nonprofit dedicated to helping all people live mentally
healthier lives. With our more than 320 affiliates nationwide,
we represent a growing movement of Americans who promote mental
wellness for the health and well-being of the nation - everyday
and in times of crisis.
[i] Regier DA, Narrow WE, Rae DS, et
al. The de facto US mental and addictive disorders service system.
Epidemiologic catchment area prospective 1-year prevalence rates
of disorders and services. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1993;50:85-94.
[ii]
Rose, L, Families of psychiatric patients: A critical review
and future research directions. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing,
1996; 10(2), 67-76.
[iii] American Psychiatric Association.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th
ed. Text revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.
2000;297-312.
[iv] Rosenheck R, Cramer J, Jurgis
G, et al. Clinical and psychopharmacologic factors influencing
family burden in refractory schizophrenia. J Clin Psychiatry.
2000;61:671-676.
[v] Wu EQ, Birnbaum HG, Shi L, et al. The economic
burden of schizophrenia in the United States in 2002. J Clin
Psych. 2005;66(9):1122-1129.
