title: Social and material aspects of life and their impact on the physical health of people diagnosed with mental illness.
abstract: People diagnosed with mental illness have shorter lives and poorer physical health, compared to the general population. These health inequities are usually viewed at an individual and clinical level, yet there is little research on the views of mental health consumers on clinical factors in broader contexts.
  
  
  
  To elicit the views of consumers of mental health services regarding their physical health and experiences of accessing physical health-care services.
  
  
  
  Qualitative exploratory design involving focus groups.
  
  
  
  The research was conducted in the Australian Capital Territory. Participants were consumers of mental health services.
  
  
  
  The Commission on Social Determinants of Health Framework was drawn on to lead deductive analysis of focus group interview transcripts.
  
  
  
  Issues impacting consumers included poverty, the neglect of public services and being treated as second-class citizens because of diagnosis of mental illness and/or experiencing a psychosocial disability. These factors were connected with significant barriers in accessing physical health care, including the quality and relevance of health provider communication, especially when the broader contexts of mental health consumer's lives are not well understood.
  
  
  
  These findings suggest the Commission on Social Determinants of Health Framework could be utilized in research and policy, and may provide an effective platform for exploring better health communication with mental health consumers regarding this neglected health inequity.
authors.affiliation: SYNERGY: Nursing and Midwifery Research Centre, University of Canberra and ACT Health, Canberra Hospital, Woden, ACT, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephanie B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Ewart
authors.affiliation: SYNERGY: Nursing and Midwifery Research Centre, University of Canberra and ACT Health, Canberra Hospital, Woden, ACT, Australia.
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7293-6583
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Happell
authors.affiliation: SYNERGY: Nursing and Midwifery Research Centre, University of Canberra and ACT Health, Canberra Hospital, Woden, ACT, Australia.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bocking
authors.affiliation: SYNERGY: Nursing and Midwifery Research Centre, University of Canberra and ACT Health, Canberra Hospital, Woden, ACT, Australia.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Platania-Phung
authors.affiliation: School of Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stanton
authors.affiliation: SYNERGY: Nursing and Midwifery Research Centre, University of Canberra and ACT Health, Canberra Hospital, Woden, ACT, Australia.
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Scholz
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006304:Health Status; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D057545:Social Stigma; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: mental health; mental illness; physical health; social determinants of health