Researchers: Rena Bina¹, Haya Itzhaki¹, Drorit Levy¹

Background: Life expectancy of people with severe mental illnesses (SMI) is significantly shorter than that of the general population. Poor health behaviors and health service use serve as main reasons for this shortened life expectancy, as they are significant risk factors for physical illness which is prevalent among this population in comparison to the general population. To date, information regarding correlates of health behaviors and health service use among this population is lacking.

Objectives: (1) To examine factors associated with health behaviors of physical activity and keeping a healthy diet; and (2) To examine factors associated with healthcare use among people with SMI.

Method: In this cross-sectional study, 325 people with SMI who receive a "Basket of Rehabilitation" filled out questionnaires regarding health behaviors, healthcare use and personal (perceived self-efficacy and sense of mastery) and social-communal-organizational (social support, interaction with doctors, internet use, sense of belonging to the community and organizational environment) resources.

Findings: level of keeping a healthy diet and engaging in physical activity were medium-low, and rates of turning to one’s doctor and hospitalization for a physical issue were high. Social-communal and organizational resources, and especially personal resources, were associated with health behaviors and healthcare use.

Conclusions: Personal resources and support offered by family, friends doctors and rehabilitation services, including encouragement to use services, are crucial in promoting health behaviors and healthcare use.
Policy Implications/recommendations: Promoting Health behaviors should be integrated into healthcare and rehabilitation services. In addition, personal resources should be strengthened and service providers should be encouraged to support health behaviors among people with SMI.

Recommendations: Promoting Health behaviors should be integrated into healthcare and rehabilitation services. In addition, personal resources should be strengthened and service providers should be encouraged to support health behaviors among people with SMI.

Research end date: 11/2019