Mental Health Nurses' Perceptions of Their Role in Physical Screening and Lifestyle Coaching for Patients With a Severe Mental Illness: A Qualitative Study.

Background: The life expectancy of patients with severe mental illness (SMI) is estimated to be 20 to 30 years shorter than in the general population due to avoidable physical illnesses. This gap is widening. Health care professionals' performance with regard to physical health and lifestyle appears to be suboptimal.