Physical Health Monitoring for Diverse Populations with Serious Mental Illness: Opportunity to Fill Gaps in Care-View Presentation Slides

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The document centers on a live webinar by the American Psychiatric Association, focusing on improving physical health monitoring for populations with serious mental illness (SMI), such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The document outlines the logistics of the webinar, including continuing education credits for different professions, how to download presentation slides, and engaging in Q&A sessions.<br /><br />The presentation, led by Christina Mangurian, MD, MAS from the University of California, covers the consistent health disparities for those with SMI. Such individuals face significantly higher risks for chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular issues, often seeing their lifespan reduced by 25-30 years compared to the general population. Key gaps in care include low rates of basic health screenings, like diabetes and cancer screening, and preventive measures for these populations, despite existing guidelines.<br /><br />The study details efforts in California’s public mental health systems, advancing physical health screenings for those with SMI with partners like Columbia University and UCSF. Data show stark screening deficiencies: only 30% received diabetes screening, despite pronounced metabolic risks and a diabetes prevalence rate of 32% among those screened. Similarly, HIV, Hepatitis C, cervical and breast cancer screenings were markedly insufficient, highlighting systemic healthcare disadvantages.<br /><br />Attributing low screening rates to limited primary care access, especially among young adults, Black Americans, and rural residents, the document promotes changes at multiple levels: individual clinics should routinely add health screenings, collaborate with community resources for enhanced care access, and adopt dedicated health screening initiatives. Also emphasized are systems-level interventions, like satellite clinics, integrated care, and initiatives targeting high-risk groups.<br /><br />In conclusion, the document advocates for these findings to shape clinician behavior and system policies to address existing screening and treatment inadequacies, leveraging multi-disciplinary partnerships and expanding community psychiatrist roles.

Keywords

American Psychiatric Association

serious mental illness

physical health monitoring

webinar

health disparities

screening deficiencies

integrated care

preventive measures

systemic healthcare disadvantages

multi-disciplinary partnerships