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Mental health practitioners’ reported challenges to the prescription of exercise for mental Health in Australia and New Zealand
Conference presentation   Peer reviewed

Mental health practitioners’ reported challenges to the prescription of exercise for mental Health in Australia and New Zealand

Geoff Lovell and Lee Kannis-Dymand
Australian Psychological Society (APS) Conference: Psychology for a healthy nation, 48th (Cairns, Australia, 08-Oct-2013–12-Oct-2013)
Australian Psychological Society Ltd.
2013
url
http://www.psychology.org.au/View
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Abstract

Psychology Public Health and Health Services
Exercise has been shown to lead to clinically significant improvements in a range of mental health difficulties including depression and anxiety. Evidence also suggests that physical activity may be helpful for more severe mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and psychosis. Despite mental health practitioners (MHPs) being ideally situated to prescribe exercise as a treatment or at least as an adjunct to other treatments for mental health challenges, little research has examined MHPs' perceived road-blocks to prescribing exercise. Without such information it is difficult to effectively target resources and training methods to better equip MHPs with the means to more frequently and effectively prescribe or reinforce exercise as a treatment for mental health issues. The aim of this investigation was therefore to examine what MHPs consider as the challenges that limit their prescription of exercise for the treatment of mental health concerns. Following ethical approval and informed consent, 301 MHPs (counsellors = 5.5 %, GPs = 6.4%, mental health nurses = 5.5%, occupational therapists = 3.1%, psychiatrists = 2.5%, psychologists = 40.5%, social workers = 21.2%, others = 15.3%) from Australia (58%) and New Zealand (42%) completed an online survey. Participants were asked to provide qualitative statements of what reasons they considered prevented them from prescribing exercise to manage mental health concerns. Using a content analysis approach, the 402 statements were grouped into 21 themes, which in turn were combined into 6 higher order themes consisting of: MHPs' knowledge base and perspectives; organisational barriers; client barriers; inadequate access to appropriate exercise programs and providers; exercise is contra-indicated or crisis intervention required; and client reports exercising already. While some of the reported reasons for not prescribing exercise were legitimate, other reasons such as: MHPs' knowledge base and perspectives; organisational barriers; and inadequate access to appropriate exercise programs and providers, are barriers that could and should be surmountable. Given that exercise has been shown to be an effect treatment for various mental health challenges, findings from the current study should assist the promotion and development of more appropriate initiatives to support MHPs to utilise exercise to help treat and manage mental health issues.

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