TY - JOUR
AU - M. Ambreen
AU - C. Canning
AU - B. Lo
AU - S. M. Agarwal
AU - A. M. Burhan
AU - D. Castle
AU - M. E. Del Giudice
AU - B. Konkolÿ-Thege
AU - L. Liu
AU - O. C. Melamed
AU - F. Sirotich
AU - S. Sockalingam
AU - G. Strudwick
AU - T. Tajirian
AU - P. G. Tibbo
AU - M. R. van Kesteren
AU - C. Walker
AU - V. Stergiopoulos
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: Individuals experiencing serious mental illness (SMI) have higher rates of comorbid physical health conditions, poorer associated health outcomes, and die on average 10-20 years earlier than the general population. They encounter multiple barriers to accessing appropriate physical health care in many countries, including Canada, where policies and practices to promote integrated care delivery to this population remain scant. This qualitative study aimed to explore health provider perspectives and experiences with integrated physical and mental health care within mental health settings in Canada, in efforts to address the health needs of this population. METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study involved conducting individual semi-structured interviews with 13 health administrators and four focus groups with 15 clinicians between July 2023 and April 2024. The data analysis team, inclusive of individuals with SMI, used thematic analysis to identify overarching themes that capture participants' perspectives on and experiences with delivering integrated physical and mental health care within mental health settings in Canada, including their clinical practices and organizational contexts. RESULTS: We identified four themes in participant narratives: (1) the need for integrated care delivery within mental health settings; (2) organizational readiness for integrated care; (3) moving integration forward: addressing challenges; and (4) leveraging opportunities to advance integrated care. Both participant groups highlighted challenges with fragmented healthcare services, emphasized the urgent need for policies, practices and guidelines that support person-centered, comprehensive care within mental health settings, and called for engaging people with living/lived experience and family members in service redesign. CONCLUSION: Findings underscore the importance of accelerating efforts to promote integrated health care delivery for adults with SMI within mental health settings, and of implementing policies that address health disparities for this population in the Canadian context. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not Applicable.
AD - Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.; Waypoint Research Institute, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Penetanguishene, ON, Canada.; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.; Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, Whitby, ON, Canada.; School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.; Tasmanian Centre for Mental Health Service Innovation, Tasmanian Health Service, Hobart, Australia.; Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.; University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.; Canadian Mental Health Association Toronto Branch, Toronto, ON, Canada.; Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.; Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, London, ON, Canada.; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.; Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada. vicky.stergiopoulos@camh.ca.; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. vicky.stergiopoulos@camh.ca.; , 1051 Queen Street West, Room 2310, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H3, Canada. vicky.stergiopoulos@camh.ca.
AN - 39953407
BT - BMC Psychiatry
C5 - Healthcare Disparities; Education & Workforce
CP - 1
DA - Feb 14
DO - 10.1186/s12888-025-06572-2
DP - NLM
ET - 20250214
IS - 1
JF - BMC Psychiatry
LA - eng
N2 - BACKGROUND: Individuals experiencing serious mental illness (SMI) have higher rates of comorbid physical health conditions, poorer associated health outcomes, and die on average 10-20 years earlier than the general population. They encounter multiple barriers to accessing appropriate physical health care in many countries, including Canada, where policies and practices to promote integrated care delivery to this population remain scant. This qualitative study aimed to explore health provider perspectives and experiences with integrated physical and mental health care within mental health settings in Canada, in efforts to address the health needs of this population. METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study involved conducting individual semi-structured interviews with 13 health administrators and four focus groups with 15 clinicians between July 2023 and April 2024. The data analysis team, inclusive of individuals with SMI, used thematic analysis to identify overarching themes that capture participants' perspectives on and experiences with delivering integrated physical and mental health care within mental health settings in Canada, including their clinical practices and organizational contexts. RESULTS: We identified four themes in participant narratives: (1) the need for integrated care delivery within mental health settings; (2) organizational readiness for integrated care; (3) moving integration forward: addressing challenges; and (4) leveraging opportunities to advance integrated care. Both participant groups highlighted challenges with fragmented healthcare services, emphasized the urgent need for policies, practices and guidelines that support person-centered, comprehensive care within mental health settings, and called for engaging people with living/lived experience and family members in service redesign. CONCLUSION: Findings underscore the importance of accelerating efforts to promote integrated health care delivery for adults with SMI within mental health settings, and of implementing policies that address health disparities for this population in the Canadian context. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not Applicable.
PY - 2025
SN - 1471-244x
SP - 129
ST - Strengthening the delivery of integrated care for individuals experiencing serious mental illness within mental health settings: a qualitative description of health provider perspectives
T1 - Strengthening the delivery of integrated care for individuals experiencing serious mental illness within mental health settings: a qualitative description of health provider perspectives
T2 - BMC Psychiatry
TI - Strengthening the delivery of integrated care for individuals experiencing serious mental illness within mental health settings: a qualitative description of health provider perspectives
U1 - Healthcare Disparities; Education & Workforce
U3 - 10.1186/s12888-025-06572-2
VL - 25
VO - 1471-244x
Y1 - 2025
ER -