Abstract
Objective
Healthcare professionals often use opportunistic weight management conversations, aligned with the Making Every Contact Count (MECC) approach, to provide motivational support to service users. While research supports this practice from the professionals' perspective, the views of service users on these interactions remain understudied. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of service users with serious mental illness regarding weight management conversations with healthcare professionals.
Methods
Thirteen service users with serious mental illness (Nine inpatient, four community-based) participated in semi-structured 1-1 interviews exploring weight management support experiences. Transcript data was analysed using thematic analysis.
Results
Five key themes were developed: service users’ experience of weight management conversations, developing therapeutic relationships, support for physical activity and weight management, deliverer characteristic preferences, and user descriptions of MECC.
Conclusions
Service users reported a lack of information about medication-related weight gain and suggested further staff training to improve therapeutic relationships and weight management support for service users with serious mental illness.
Innovation
This study uniquely explores service users' perspectives on weight management conversations within mental health care, applying MECC in a novel context. It highlights the perspective of individuals with serious mental illness on weight-related issues, challenging existing practices, and proposing strategies for integrating physical health support in mental health settings.
Healthcare professionals often use opportunistic weight management conversations, aligned with the Making Every Contact Count (MECC) approach, to provide motivational support to service users. While research supports this practice from the professionals' perspective, the views of service users on these interactions remain understudied. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of service users with serious mental illness regarding weight management conversations with healthcare professionals.
Methods
Thirteen service users with serious mental illness (Nine inpatient, four community-based) participated in semi-structured 1-1 interviews exploring weight management support experiences. Transcript data was analysed using thematic analysis.
Results
Five key themes were developed: service users’ experience of weight management conversations, developing therapeutic relationships, support for physical activity and weight management, deliverer characteristic preferences, and user descriptions of MECC.
Conclusions
Service users reported a lack of information about medication-related weight gain and suggested further staff training to improve therapeutic relationships and weight management support for service users with serious mental illness.
Innovation
This study uniquely explores service users' perspectives on weight management conversations within mental health care, applying MECC in a novel context. It highlights the perspective of individuals with serious mental illness on weight-related issues, challenging existing practices, and proposing strategies for integrating physical health support in mental health settings.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 100389 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | PEC Innovation |
| Volume | 6 |
| Early online date | 22 Mar 2025 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 22 Mar 2025 |
Keywords
- Making every contact count (MECC)
- Serious mental illness
- Service user experiences
- Weight management conversations