title: Intervention to promote physical health in staff within mental health facilities and the impact on patients' physical health.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with severe mental illnesses have an increased physical morbidity and premature mortality on account of somatic diseases. Patients with mental illness are nursed and cared for by the staff, who may acts as role models for the patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study tested the efficacy of an intervention programme for improving physical health in staff working in long-term psychiatric treatment facilities. Furthermore, the paper measured the association between staff's changes in physical health and the patients' changes in physical health.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was a cluster randomized controlled 12-month intervention study, and the intervention was active awareness on physical health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the intervention group the staff reduced their waist circumference by 2.3 cm (95% CI: 0.3-4.4) when controlling for gender, age and cigarette consumption. In the control group, the staff changed their waist circumference by - 2.1 cm (95% CI: - 5.6-1.5). The staff in the intervention group experienced a significant reduction in diastolic blood pressure of - 5.9 mmHg (95% CI: - 9.5 to - 2.3, p = 0.009). The study indicated an association between the staff average change in each facility and the individual patient's changes in health parameters (body mass index, total body fat and quality of life).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The staff in the intervention group showed a significant reduction of waist circumference, while staff in the control group showed a non-significant increase. Furthermore, a significant reduction in the diastolic blood pressure was seen. Indications that staff acted as positive role models for the patients' physical health were seen.
authors.affiliation: a Peter Hjorth, Aarhus University Hospital , Risskov , Denmark.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hjorth
authors.affiliation: b Annette S. Davidsen, Centre of Health and Community, Copenhagen University , Denmark.
authors.forename: Annette S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Davidsen
authors.affiliation: c Reinhold Kilian Ulm University, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie , Günzburg , Germany.
authors.forename: Reinhold
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kilian
authors.affiliation: d Signe O.W. Jensen, Aarhus University Hospital and Aalborg Psychiatric Hospital , Denmark.
authors.forename: Signe O W
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.affiliation: e Povl Munk-Jørgensen, Aarhus University Hospital , Risskov , Denmark.
authors.forename: Povl
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Munk-Jørgensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006282:Health Personnel; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006304:Health Status; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011788:Quality of Life; D055105:Waist Circumference
keywords: Physical health; Severe mental illness; Staff