Eliciting the mechanisms of action of care navigators in the management of type 2 diabetes in people with severe mental illness: A qualitative study.

Background: People with severe mental illness and type 2 diabetes have a reduced life expectancy compared to the general population. One factor that contributes to this is the inability to provide optimal management, as the two conditions are typically managed by separate physical and mental health systems. The role of care navigators in coordinating diabetes care in people with severe mental illness may provide a solution to better management.

Exploring healthcare professionals' perspectives of barriers and facilitators to supporting people with severe mental illness and Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Individuals with comorbid severe mental illness (SMI) and diabetes experience an average mortality gap of 20 years compared to individuals without these conditions. There has been some recognition by policies that there is a gap between mental healthcare and physical healthcare for SMI patients. Despite this, there are still no defined care pathways for individuals with SMI and diabetes.