Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33637542›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2021

Switching antipsychotics to support the physical health of people with severe mental illness: a qualitative study of healthcare professionals' perspectives.

Annabel Nash, Tom Kingstone, Saeed Farooq, Jessica Tunmore, Carolyn A Chew-Graham

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
15citing papers in PubMed
3.1field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

15 citing papers in PubMed, 25 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Non-pharmacologicaL InterVEntions for Antipsychotic-Induced Weight Gain (RESOLVE) in People Living With Severe Mental Illness: A Realist Synthesis.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2025
    Review
  4. Reducing the Delay in the Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder: A Qualitative Study.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2025
    Article
  5. 'Flattened, fattened, and forgotten': the 'dis-integrated' care of patients prescribed antipsychotics in the UK.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2025
    Article
  6. Antipsychotic management in general practice: serial cross-sectional study (2011-2020).The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2025
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Nurses' practice of metabolic monitoring for patients on antipsychotics in Lesotho.The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa · 2024
    Article
  10. Article
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  15. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Annabel NashResearch and Innovation Department, Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Stafford, UK.
Tom KingstoneResearch and Innovation Department, Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Stafford, UK t.kingstone@keele.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0001-9179-2303
Saeed FarooqResearch and Innovation Department, Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Stafford, UK.
Jessica TunmoreResearch and Innovation Department, Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Stafford, UK.
Carolyn A Chew-GrahamResearch and Innovation Department, Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Stafford, UK.
Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust · GBUniversity of Staffordshire · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe side effects of antipsychotic medications (APs) can increase the risk of developing physical health conditions. Some APs pose a higher risk than others. Evidence suggests switching to lower risk APs can support physical health outcomes. We sought to explore the views of healthcare professionals about switching antipsychotics to support physical health in people with severe mental illness (SMI).

designA qualitative study with semi-structured interviews conducted with general practitioners (GPs), psychiatrists and mental health nurses. The main focus was to explore participants' views on the physical health of people with SMI, the impact of APs and decision-making about switching medication to support physical health. Data were analysed thematically using principles of constant comparison. SETTINGS: Participants recruited through primary care and one mental health trust in the West Midlands.

participantsInterviews were conducted with 9 GPs, 10 psychiatrists and 4 mental health nurses.

resultsAwareness and knowledge of AP side-effects and risk profiles varied considerably between primary and secondary care clinicians. GPs reported limited awareness, while psychiatrists and nurses demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of AP risk profiles and side-effects. Mental health and control of symptoms were prioritised. Switching to promote physical health was considered as a reactive intervention, once side-effects or complications developed. There were a range of views over where responsibility lay for monitoring physical health and consideration of switching. Collaboration between primary and secondary care was identified as a way to address this.

conclusionsThis study presents multidisciplinary perspectives on awareness, decision making, perceived responsibility and barriers to switching APs to support physical health. Collaborative approaches that involve liaison between primary and secondary care, but tailored to the individual patient, may support switching, and present an opportunity to intervene to address the physical health inequalities experienced by individuals with SMI.

Indexed as

Antipsychotic AgentsMental DisordersPsychiatryHealth PersonnelHumansQualitative ResearchAntipsychotic Agentsmental healthprimary carepsychiatryqualitative researchschizophrenia & psychotic disorders

Identifiers

PMID33637542
PMCPMC7919576
OpenAlexW3130778661

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.