Healthway Healthy Lifestyle Program Report
In August 2007, HealthRight received a Healthway grant to conduct a one year Healthy Lifestyle program. The project was targetted at people with mental illness aged between 18-65 years and who access Mental Health Services or engage with NGO’s or live in hostels in the areas of Midland, Rockingham /Kwinana, Mirrabooka and Morley. Secondary target groups included key Health and Community Professionals, NGO’s and community leaders who work with people with mental illness in the target areas. Objectives of the program were to:
|
|
Key strategies
The program had two main approaches building the capacity of people with mental illness to look after their own health and creating environments that support healthy behaviour change. Key strategies included: a Walking Program; Hostels Nutrition Program, Mental Health Awareness and Community Inclusion training; HealthRight Tick of Approval Program; HealthRight Guidelines; Healthy Lifestyles Information and creative resource development and success stories.
Program evaluation
The program was evaluated including formative, process and impact evaluation. Four focus groups with people with mental illness were held in 3 key intervention locations to gather information about the target group and community consultation meetinmgs were held with key stakeholders in each area. All strategies were evaluated thrpough process evaluatuon and and impact evalutaion included an electronic survey to key stakeholders and a pre and post face-to-face survey with people with mental illness. There were some challenges with evaluation and strategey implementation, following are some key outcomes against objectives:
Objective 1: There were challenges with engaging people with mental illness in baseline evaluation surveys. As a result, outcomes from surveys developed to measure changes in this objective were inconclusive. Process evaluation and anecdotal evidence however, suggests that people with mental illness who got involved in healthy lifestyle activities in hostels, such as nutrition education sessions, walking and gardening were happy to be participating and were looking to find more opportunities beyond what this program offered.
Objective 2: 17 organisations registered to be HealthRight and made a commitment to support the physical health of people with mental illness. 7 organisations and 18 individuals were nominated for HealthRight Awards program and were recognised for their contribution to supporting people with mental illness to improve their physical health. 45 people participated in mental health awareness and community inclusion training. A databse of 205 organisations and people was created and participants .One of the significant outcomes is the HealthRight network of 205 health and community professionals, champions and people with mental illness. This network receives regular project information and updates, including the downloadable guidelines for developing health promoting and supportive environments and provides a foundation for future strategies and increases the capacity of the community to improve physical health for people with mental illness.
Objective 3: Awareness of hostel residents of the healthy body healthy mind message increased by 54%. There have been 18,484 website sessions since the website was launched in August 2007. 15,000 art cards have been distributed commencing with those ordered for Mental Health Week 2007, to Mental Health Services, NGO’s, members of the public Divisions of GPs, (54000 of these were ordered by North Metro Mental Health Services to include one of each card in the information pack given to all new patients as they enter the services). 5000 art cards have been delivered in September 2008 and will continue to be distributed as requested and as considered appropriate. The project resources, art cards, posters, GP Referral Cards, Balloons and Stickers were evaluated in 2007. Evaluation forms were sent to the 42 organisations that ordered Resources in Mental Health Week 2007. 24 evaluation forms were returned (57%) with all respondents agreeing that : 1. The images on the resources are attractive and interesting; 2. The health messages on the resources are clear and easy to understand; 3. The resources will be effective at creating awareness of healthy behaviours; 4. The resources will be effective at creating awareness of physical health