Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Background: Physical activity (PA) can help individuals with schizophrenia improve their health, yet people with this illness remain inactive. Individuals with schizophrenia experience high rates of obesity and diabetes, which results in cardiovascular disease and a shorter life. Providing PA information to individuals with schizophrenia and diabetes has been suggested as a way to increase PA and improve health. Despite this need for PA information, no research has examined how PA information is delivered to people with schizophrenia and diabetes and how it can be improved. Objective: This project will identify the best individuals to provide PA information to individuals with schizophrenia and diabetes, how and when this information should be delivered, and how service providers can meet client needs. Research project: This project has four parts: 1)A scoping review will examine how PA information has been delivered to people with schizophrenia and diabetes. This review will examine theories, preferred individuals, and preferred methods to deliver PA information to this population. 2)A focus group will gauge the findings of the scoping review and ask when PA information should be delivered to individuals with schizophrenia and diabetes. Adults diagnosed with schizophrenia and diabetes who receive treatment at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health will be recruited for this study. 3)A focus group will examine factors associated with delivering PA information by service providers to individuals with schizophrenia and diabetes. Service providers will be asked how organizations can adjust to the perceived PA information needs of clients. Mental health service providers in the Greater Toronto Area will be recruited for this study. 4)A forum will be organized to present findings from the scoping review and each of the focus groups and offer clients and service providers a chance to establish PA information guidelines and directions for future research.