Mental Health Mental Illness and Chronic Physical Conditions Responses
Mental Health Mental Illness and Chronic Physical Conditions Responses
Respond to at least two different colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:
Comment or elaborate on the relationships between the mental and physical illnesses your colleague explained.
Provide a constructive critique of the course of physical illness influenced by the mental illness.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the resources and the current literature using appropriate APA format and style.
DB 1
Lorie—
Post an explanation of the relationship between the mental illness and the physical illness
There has been extensive research documenting the relationship between mental illness and physical illness.According to these researchers (as cited in Gehlert & Browne, 2019), findings show a correlation between common chronic illnesses and an increased rate of behavioral health issues.For example, research by Cabassa et al. (2013) described individuals with mental health disorders reported higher rates of multiple chronic medical conditions. When a health care team does not address both the mental and physical issues together, negative outcomes and an increase in health care costs may occur for the patient (Gehlert & Browne, 2019).
Examples of this relationship can be seen in patients with type 2 diabetes and depression.Coleman et al. (2013) reported depression and type 2 diabetes is regularly seen in the primary care setting and when they co-occur the negative effects of each illness alone is increased for the patient.
Explain the specific course of the physical illness that might be influenced by the mental illness
If an individual is depressed, they may lack the motivation to take the necessary steps to care for themselves.Various researchers (as cited in Coleman et al., 2013) have linked comorbid depression to larger decreases in healthy self-care, such as smoking, poor diet and exercise, and medication noncompliance.With diabetic patients, there is also an association of higher mortality rates and earlier onset of the disease (Coleman et al, 2013).
Explain how this relationship might impact a patient’s course of life
If depression leads to negative health outcomes and higher mortality rates for those with chronic health conditions (as cited in Gehlert & Browne, 2019), we can assume the quality of life and overall well-being for these patients will be poor. Having a chronic illness along with a behavioral health illness would impact the patient’s life in many ways possibly limiting them to many of the joys of living.
References
Cabassa, L. J., Humensky, J., Druss, B., Lewis-Fernández, R., Gomes, A. P., Wang, S., & Blanco, C. (2013). Do race, ethnicity, and psychiatric diagnoses matter in the prevalence of multiple chronic medical conditions? Medical Care, 51(6), 540–547.
Coleman, S. M., Katon, W., Lin, E., & Von Korff, M. (2013, September–October). Depression and death in diabetes: 10-year follow-up of all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a diabetic cohort. Psychosomatics, 54(5), 428–436.
Gehlert, S., & Browne, T. (Eds.). (2019). Handbook of health social work (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
DB 2
Yesenka—
Post an explanation of the relationship between the mental illness and the physical illness:
Diabetes and depression often co-occur and when they do, they can have a direct effect on one another and intensify the burden of the patient’s mental and physical health. Not only can the relationship of the mental illness and physical illness have an effect on the patient’s health, but it also affects their quality of life and increases their mortality rate when you compare it to a person that is affected by diabetes or depression alone (Coleman, Katon, Lin & Von Korff, 2013). Depression can begin to affect the patient due to the issues that come with the diagnosis or the patient could have already been struggling with depression when they were diagnosed with diabetes.
Explain the specific course of the physical illness that might be influenced by the mental illness:
Type 2 diabetes can be augmented by depression. Depression can cause the patient with diabetes to stop participating in self-care routines which includes diet, exercise, taking their medications appropriately and on time, and it is increases the patient’s medical symptoms (Coleman, Katon, Lin & Von Korff, 2013). There are also findings that depression co-occurring with diabetes has a higher mortality rate. If a person is suffering with depression and they are not following a recommended diet and exercise regimen, this can affect their diabetes and even accelerate the severity of it.
Then, explain how this relationship might impact a patient’s course of life:
Depression can have long term effects on a patient with diabetes. Depression begins early in adult life and can cause the patient to smoke, become obese and less physically active (Coleman, Katon, Lin & Von Korff, 2013). All these factors affect the person’s overall health and increase physical symptoms associated with the diabetes. It is important for a medical social worker to understand how the social determinants of health can affect a patient both physically and mentally (Gehlert & Browne, 2019). Biopsychosocial perspectives give insight into how a patient with a mental illness will respond to treatment of their physical illness.
References
Coleman, S. M., Katon, W., Lin, E., & Von Korff, M (2013). Depression and death in diabetes; 10-year follow-up of all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a diabetic cohort. Psychosomatics, 54(5), 428-436
Gehlert, S., & Browne, T. (Eds.). (2019). Handbook of health social work (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley
