Health Perceptions and Risk of Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes in Psychiatric Patients

ABSTRACT Introduction People with serious psychiatric disorders requiring long‐term care and treatment are known to have higher rates of various physical diseases and early mortality. Aim This study aimed to evaluate health perceptions and risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes in patients with psychiatric disorders. Method Data were collected from a group of 228 patients using the Health Perception Scale, the Metabolic Syndrome Assessment Form and the American Diabetes Association Diabetes Risk Test. Results The patients had moderately positive health perceptions, 51.3% had moderate risk, 10.1% had high risk of metabolic syndrome, 27.6% were at risk for diabetes. Low health self‐awareness was associated with higher diabetes and metabolic syndrome risk, and diabetes risk was also positively associated with metabolic syndrome risk. Discussion The interrelatedness of health perceptions, diabetes risk and metabolic syndrome risk suggests the need for educational interventions focused on increasing awareness of self‐care, nutrition, exercise and disease‐ and health‐related issues specific to these patients. Implications for Practice This study highlights the need for nurses to regularly screen patients with mental illness for diabetes and metabolic syndrome risk and to intervene accordingly.