Mental Health Staff Capability and Practice for Promoting Physical Activity: Evidence From a Mental Health Community‐Managed Organisation
11 affiliations
- 1Human Performance Research Centre, School of Human Performance, Rehabilitation and Population Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
- 2Mindgardens Neuroscience Network, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
- 3Flourish Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
- 4International Centre for Future Health Systems, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia.
- 5Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, UNSW Medicine, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
- 6Macarthur Clinical School, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia.
- 7Caring Futures Institute, College of Health and Enablement, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
- 8Centre for Healthcare Transformation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
- 9Exercise Medicine Research Institute, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
- 10Institute for Health Research, University of Notre Dame Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
- 11Nutrition, Exercise, and Social Equity (NExuS), Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health Research Group, Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Abstract
Issue addressed
People with complex mental health conditions experience substantial reductions in life expectancy, largely due to preventable chronic disease. Mental health community-managed organisations (CMOs) are well placed to support physical health, yet little is known about staff capability to promote physical activity (PA).Methods
A cross-sectional survey was administered to staff at a CMO in Sydney. Staff barriers, attitudes, confidence and knowledge relating to PA and physical health were assessed using the Physical Activity Attitudes Confidence Knowledge (PACK) and modified Metabolic Barriers Attitudes Confidence Knowledge (mM-BACK) questionnaires. PA promotional practices and personal PA behaviours were also assessed and relationships between these factors explored.Results
Fifty-six of 78 eligible staff (72%) completed the survey. Mean scores were 34.8/45 (SD = 3.6) on PACK and 43.8/65 (SD = 6.7) on mM-BACK. Perceived barriers were generally low; workload was among those most commonly identified. Across both tools, attitudes scored highest, while confidence and knowledge scored lower. Only 23% reported familiarity with PA guidelines. Although 82% discussed PA with clients in the previous five workdays, 63% made no formal referrals. In correlation analyses, PA conversations were associated with mM-BACK attitudes (ρ = 0.43, p < 0.001) and PACK confidence (ρ = 0.34, p = 0.011), while capability was not associated with referrals.Conclusions
CMO staff held positive attitudes towards PA promotion and commonly discussed PA with clients, but gaps remain in confidence, knowledge and referral practices. SO WHAT?: Building workforce capability, clarifying referral pathways and embedding organisational support for PA promotion within mental health CMOs may help reduce preventable health inequities in this population.
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BibTeX
@article{lamble2026mental,
title = {{Mental Health Staff Capability and Practice for Promoting Physical Activity: Evidence From a Mental Health Community‐Managed Organisation}},
author = {Regan Lamble and Gemechu Wirtu and Andrew Watkins and Mark Orr and Jackie Curtis and Laurence Gagnon and Jade Ryall and Hamish Fibbins and Darren Haywood and Cristina M Caperchione and David Simmons and Therese Fletcher and Nicolas H Hart and Simon Rosenbaum and Oscar Lederman},
journal = {Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1002/hpja.70274},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13727368},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Mental Health Staff Capability and Practice for Promoting Physical Activity: Evidence From a Mental Health Community‐Managed Organisation
AU - Regan Lamble
AU - Gemechu Wirtu
AU - Andrew Watkins
AU - Mark Orr
AU - Jackie Curtis
AU - Laurence Gagnon
AU - Jade Ryall
AU - Hamish Fibbins
AU - Darren Haywood
AU - Cristina M Caperchione
AU - David Simmons
AU - Therese Fletcher
AU - Nicolas H Hart
AU - Simon Rosenbaum
AU - Oscar Lederman
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/02
JO - Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals
DO - 10.1002/hpja.70274
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13727368
AB - Issue addressed People with complex mental health conditions experience substantial reductions in life expectancy, largely due to preventable chronic disease. Mental health community-managed organisations (CMOs) are well placed to support physical health, yet little is known about staff capability to promote physical activity (PA).Methods A cross-sectional survey was administered to staff at a CMO in Sydney. Staff barriers, attitudes, confidence and knowledge relating to PA and physical health were assessed using the Physical Activity Attitudes Confidence Knowledge (PACK) and modified Metabolic Barriers Attitudes Confidence Knowledge (mM-BACK) questionnaires. PA promotional practices and personal PA behaviours were also assessed and relationships between these factors explored.Results Fifty-six of 78 eligible staff (72%) completed the survey. Mean scores were 34.8/45 (SD = 3.6) on PACK and 43.8/65 (SD = 6.7) on mM-BACK. Perceived barriers were generally low; workload was among those most commonly identified. Across both tools, attitudes scored highest, while confidence and knowledge scored lower. Only 23% reported familiarity with PA guidelines. Although 82% discussed PA with clients in the previous five workdays, 63% made no formal referrals. In correlation analyses, PA conversations were associated with mM-BACK attitudes (ρ = 0.43, p < 0.001) and PACK confidence (ρ = 0.34, p = 0.011), while capability was not associated with referrals.Conclusions CMO staff held positive attitudes towards PA promotion and commonly discussed PA with clients, but gaps remain in confidence, knowledge and referral practices. SO WHAT?: Building workforce capability, clarifying referral pathways and embedding organisational support for PA promotion within mental health CMOs may help reduce preventable health inequities in this population.
SN - 1036-1073
ER -