title: Rural physical health care services for people with serious mental illness: a nursing perspective.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand nurse perspectives on the physical health needs of their mental health clients and how well rural services are meeting their overall care needs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focus groups with semistructured format.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community mental health care in a regional and rural district of Queensland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight nurses in public mental health care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The major themes were (i) stigma of mental illness, (ii) barriers to accessing physical health care services, (iii) nurse adaptations under demands, and (iv) community and integration towards better overall health. Nurses integrate overall care and foster its continuity for people with physical and mental co-morbidity and can be supported much better in sustaining this.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Access and continuity of physical health care experienced by all Australians is exacerbated for people in rural areas. Physical health of people with serious mental illness residing in remote Australia needs to be a national health priority.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health and Social Science Research and School of Nursing and Midwifery, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Happell
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Platania-Phung
authors.forename: Janette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nankivell
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D015897:Comorbidity; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000523:psychology*; D011634:Public Health; D011793:Queensland; D019035:Rural Health Services; D013240:Stereotyping