Psychiatric and primary care professionals’ suggestions for reducing cardiovascular risks for psychiatric patients

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases represent one of the major causes of mortality in France and are the main cause of excess mortality in people suffering from long-term mental disorders (LTMD), apart from causes related to suicide. The aim of this article is to identify, from the point of view of primary care and psychiatric professionals, psychiatric users’ expectations and needs in order to help them improve their medical and paramedical management of cardiovascular risk (CVR). This is a prospective, multi-centered qualitative study carried out in two phases: An exploratory phase, with individual interviews at the beginning of the study to enable the creation of ad hoc collective interview grids, followed by a proper qualitative study, which is in line with medical anthropology and the sociology of health systems. The 30 psychiatric professionals interviewed agreed on the need for better coordination with out-of-hospital care providers. Even if openness is advocated, there is a reminder of the specificities of psychiatry and the importance of taking these specificities into account in general. The 26 primary care professionals show a desire to learn more about psychiatric disorders, pathologies, and treatments in order to facilitate the management of these patients with specific needs. The cross-referencing of these results will allow to propose an appropriate intervention in order to induce convincing effects on the reduction of the CVR in people suffering from LTMD.