The Provision of Preventive Care for Chronic Disease Risk Behaviours to People with a Mental Health Condition: A Survey of Staff from One Australian Community Managed Organisation

People with mental health conditions have a median reduced life expectancy of 10 years, largely due to a higher prevalence of chronic diseases. Health risk behaviours, including tobacco smoking, inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption, harmful alcohol consumption and physical inactivity, contribute substantially to the burden of chronic disease for this population. Community Managed Organisations (CMOs) may have an important role in addressing these behaviours among consumers with a mental health condition; however, little previous research has explored the provision of preventive care from these organisations. To fill this research gap, a cross-sectional online survey was conducted between August and November 2017 with staff (n = 174) of one CMO which has multiple services in two states of Australia. The survey explored the provision of preventive care for four key health risk behaviours. Optimal preventive care (to ≥ 80% consumers for all four behaviours) was reported more frequently for brief advice (28%) and assessment (26%), than for assistance (13%) and referring/connecting consumers to services for help (12%) with modifying health risk behaviours. Preventive care to ≥ 80% consumers was least frequently reported for alcohol consumption and most frequently reported for physical activity. The provision of preventive care for health risk behaviours appears to be part of CMO staffs’ existing practice; however, it does not appear to be routinely provided across all behaviours. Further research exploring the barriers and facilitators to providing preventive care is needed to understand how CMOs may better support people with a mental health condition to improve their health risk behaviours.