Promoting health and well-being in severe mental disorders: PowerONyou’s «de la pastilla a la zapatilla» (from pill to trainers) project

Abstract

Severe mental disorders (SMD) entail a substantial burden in terms of disability and mortality worldwide. It has been consistently observed that people with SMD have low levels of physical activity and high sedentary time, which increases the risk of somatic health problems and premature mortality. In response to this problem, the need to develop strategies aimed at improving the physical health of patients with SMD has been emphasized, with the purpose of mitigating the prevalence of chronic diseases and lessening their impact across the life course. In this context, PowerONyou’s «De la Pastilla a la Zapatilla» project emerges as a promising initiative, adopting a multidisciplinary approach that involves physical education and sports educators and mental health nurse specialists. Its purpose is to integrate physical exercise programmes into the general care of people with SMD. Preliminary findings show significant improvements in body composition, physical fitness and lifestyle, as well as a strengthening of users’ social and communication skills. In addition, the implementation of the programme in a mental health setting has proved feasible and has been very well received by users, thanks to the continuous supervision and support of professionals during its development. Effective integration of these programmes is expected to lead to significant improvements in health and well-being, as well as to a reduction in mortality and in the burden of somatic diseases associated with SMD.