ABSTRACT
Objective@#To explore the impact of the participation of patients with chronic mental illness in health promotion activities on their physical, psychological, and social functions. @*Methods@#This study included inpatient with chronic mental illness from a hospital in Eastern Taiwan. According to the experimental research design, the selected subjects were randomly divided into a health promotion group and a control group, with 60 people in each group. The health promotion team conducts health promotion activities twice a week, each for approximately 50 minutes, over the course of eight weeks (16 times in total). The measurement instrument adopts the Adult Mental Health Scale (AMHS) scale. Five experts and scholars in related fields are invited to conduct expert validity. @*Results@#Using independent sample t-tests to analyze the changes in the two groups after 8 weeks, the physical, psychological and social problems of the health promotion group were significantly improved compared with the control group. @*Conclusion@#Health promotion activities can alleviate the physical illness, anxiety, irritability, depression, and social distress of chronic hospitalized mental patients, and can also increase their positive and optimistic mood. It can provide chronic mental health care institutions to plan patients’ physical activities or exercises.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to document the prevalence of high blood pressure (BP) and to explore its relationship with weight among inpatients with schizophrenia. Additionally, other possible risk factors impacting BP levels in relation to patients' demographic characteristics and use of atypical antipsychotic drugs and medications to reduce blood pressure were analyzed. METHODS: Using medical records, demographic data, and results of physical examination, this crosssectional study investigated the prevalence of hypertension and high BP and its association with body weight among 1,030 inpatients with schizophrenia in a large psychiatric facility in Taiwan. RESULTS: The prevalence of high BP and hypertension were found to be higher among inpatients with schizophrenia in Taiwan in comparison with those of the general population in line with the latest evidence. Hypertensionwas significantly associated with body mass index; meanwhile, other risk factors, including age, gender, length of hospital stay, time since initial schizophrenia diagnosis, medications used to reduce blood pressure, and atypical antipsychotics, were identified. However, body mass index was the most effective predictor of blood pressure in the study. CONCLUSION: The findings of this research shed light on the importance of developing effective weight and blood pressure monitoring and management programs for inpatients with schizophrenia. There is also a need for clinical nurses to employ multiple behavioral intervention strategies to minimize risks of high BP in patients with schizophrenia. We recommend that clinical nurses carefully monitor and control BP among inpatients with schizophrenia.