Attitudes to health promotion interventions among patients in mental health services--differences in relation to socio-demographic, clinical and health-related variables.
BACKGROUND
Increasing evidence about the high social and economic costs of poor mental health has contributed to a growing recognition of the need for health promotion interventions in mental health services. In spite of this, little empirical research has been performed investigating patients' attitudes to health promotion interventions.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to investigate differences in patients' attitudes to health promotion interventions with regard to socio-demographic, clinical and health-related variables.


METHODS
The study has a cross-sectional design. The participants were recruited randomly and consisted of 141 outpatients, 91 women and 50 men. The participants rated their attitudes in accordance to the Health Promotion Intervention Questionnaire (HPIQ).


RESULTS
The result showed a clear indication that there are gender differences in attitudes of health promotion interventions in mental health services. The main significant differences were that, females rated overall health promotion interventions as well as alliance and empowerment as more important than males did.


CONCLUSIONS
It is suggested that gender issues have to be considered in health promotion interventions in mental health services and taken into account in the assessment, planning and delivery of the interventions as well as the evaluation of outcomes.
Svedberg
Petra
P
School of Social and Health Sciences, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden. petra.svedberg@hh.se
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult