Chronic Medical Conditions in People with Serious Mental Illness

Webcast recording provides an overview of the causes of physical illness in people with severe mental illness-cardiovascular disease, diabetes, substance abuse, and smoking. The webinar also addresses the need for and approaches in improving primary care for mental health consumers.

Tobacco Cessation

Statistics

• The average life span of people with serious mental illness is 25 years less than that of the general population—smoking is a major contributing factor to early morbidity and mortality.
• Approximately 50% of persons with serious mental illness smoke, compared to 23% of all other persons. 
• Persons with mental illness smoke half of all cigarettes produced and are only half as likely as other smokers to quit.
• Half of all deaths among people with mental illness are due to smoking related illnesses.
• 30–35% of treatment staff in mental health and substance abuse facilities smoke (compared to 1.7% primary care physicians).

Smoking Cessation Leadership Center
A national program office of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
with research, information, and tips for clinicians. 

Wellness Resources

Words of Wellness
The Institute for Wellness and Recovery Initiatives at Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey offers, Words of Wellness, a publication that features valuable information and resources, including details about educational events, to help people to achieve and maintain wellness.   

Patient Activation Measures
The Patient Activation Measure™ (PAM™) survey assesses the knowledge, skills and confidence integral to managing one's own health and healthcare. With the ability to measure activation and uncover related insights into consumer self-management abilities, care support and education can be more effectively tailored to help individuals become better self managers. 

The Pledge for Wellness

Pledge your commitment to promoting wellness and reducing the disproportionate impact of preventable morbidity and mortality on people with mental health problems by signing the Pledge for Wellness.

• We envision a future in which people with mental illnesses pursue optimal health, happiness, recovery, and a full and satisfying life in the community via access to a range of effective services, supports, and resources. 
• We pledge to promote wellness for people with mental illnesses by taking action to prevent and reduce early mortality by 10 years over the next 10 year time period.