title: Scoping review of research in Australia on the co-occurrence of physical and serious mental illness and integrated care.
abstract: The physical health of people with serious mental illness (SMI) has become a focal area of research. The aim of the present study was to ascertain the attention and distribution of research from within Australia on physical illness and SMI co-occurrence, and to identify gaps. A scoping review of peer-reviewed research literature from Australia, published between January 2000 and March 2014, was undertaken through an electronic literature search and coding of papers to chart trends. Four trends are highlighted: (i) an almost threefold increase in publications per year from 2000-2006 to 2007-2013; (ii) a steady release of literature reviews, especially from 2010; (iii) health-related behaviours, smoking, integrated-care programmes, and antipsychotic side-effects as the most common topics presented; and (iv) paucity of randomized, controlled trials on integrated-care models. Despite a marked increase in research attention to poorer physical health, there remains a large gap between research and the scale of the problem previously identified. More papers were descriptive or reviews, rather than evaluations of interventions. To foster more research, 12 research gaps are outlined. Addressing these gaps will facilitate the reduction of inequalities in physical health for people with SMI. Mental health nurses are well placed to lead multidisciplinary, consumer-informed research in this area.
authors.affiliation: Synergy, Nursing and Midwifery Research Centre, University of Canberra and ACT Health, Canberra Hospital, ACT, Canberra, Australia.
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Happell
authors.affiliation: The Adelaide Clinic, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.|School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Cherrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galletly
authors.affiliation: St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|School of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Castle
authors.affiliation: Synergy, Nursing and Midwifery Research Centre, University of Canberra and ACT Health, Canberra Hospital, ACT, Canberra, Australia.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Platania-Phung
authors.affiliation: Central Queensland University, Central Queensland University, School of Human Health and Social Sciences, Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stanton
authors.affiliation: Central Queensland University, School of Medical and Applied Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McKenna
authors.affiliation: Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Freyja
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.affiliation: Northern Mental Health Service, Salisbury, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Central Queensland University, Central Queensland University, School of Human Health and Social Sciences, Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Browne
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Trentham
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Furness
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D035843:Biomedical Research; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy
keywords: comorbidity; mental health nursing; physical illness; psychosis; review; schizophrenia