Facilitating Healthcare Kit
People with serious mental illness suffer significantly higher rates of chronic medical conditions than the general population and die, on average, 25 years younger. These increased levels of morbidity and mortality are largely due to preventable causes including a high prevalence of modifiable risk factors, a lack of adequate preventative care, and the side effects of some psychiatric medicines.
Chronic medical illness is a major obstacle to recovery from serious mental illness. The Facilitating Healthcare series contains important information about the unique health challenges people with mental health conditions face, and ways those challenges can be reduced through the application of practical cooperative care strategies linking primary care and behavioral health establishments.