Summary
Life expectancy for people with a mental illness diagnosis is 15–20 years less than those without, mainly because of poor physical health. This article in the Journal of Paramedic Practice highlights the fact that mental ill health affects a significant proportion of paramedics' patients, and argues that practitioners could assess and promote patients' physical health even though contact time is limited.
Content
Key points
- Beginning to understand the complexity of physical health concerns in people with mental ill-health conditions will help move practice towards a more holistic approach
- Embracing health promotion can have a positive impact on patients' physical and mental health
- Looking at ourselves and how we practise can only be of benefit to those we come in contact with
CPD reflection questions for paramedics
- Have you ever witnessed diagnostic overshadowing, and how did it affect the patient? Do the challenges of dealing with mental health patients obscure your own consideration of the physical health aspects when caring for patients with mental illness?
- Do you consider health promotion with patients, and does this change with those experiencing mental health problems?
- How can you make changes to your own practice to address the issues raised in this article?
Physical health in mental health: considerations for paramedics (2 January 2020)
https://www.paramedicpractice.com/features/article/physical-health-in-mental-health-considerations-for-paramedics?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1663221321
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