Effectiveness of nutrition education and training to reduce cardiovascular risk for patients registered in community mental health centers

This master's thesis was conducted to assess the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in individuals with serious mental illness, to determine their level of nutrition knowledge, and to enhance their awareness and knowledge by providing education on dietary practices aimed at reducing cardiovascular risk. The study included a total of 24 participants registered at the Hüseyin Dağlı Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) and the Central CMHCinMersin Province, consisting of 9 individuals with schizophrenia, 14 with bipolar disorder, and 1 with other psychotic disorders. Data were collected using a Demographic Information Form, a Food Frequency Questionnaire, and a Nutrition Knowledge Scale to assess participants' knowledge levels. Participants received Nutrition Education for Reducing Cardiovascular Risk, and the effectiveness of this training was evaluated by re-administering the Nutrition Knowledge Scale. Cardiovascular risk scores were calculated using the PRIMROSE-BMI model. According to the results, the mean PRIMROSE risk score of participants was 2.67 ± 2.72, indicating a low level of cardiovascular risk. No significant differences were found between risk scores according to gender or BMI groups; however, higher scores were significantly associated with increased age, systolic blood pressure, and disease duration (p < 0.05). Following the nutrition education intervention, participants' mean nutrition knowledge score increased significantly from 82.79 ± 9.13 to 111.58 ± 5.23 (p < 0.001), demonstrating the effectiveness of the educational program in improving knowledge levels among individuals with mental illness. In conclusion, integrating regular nutrition education programs into CMHC's may help reduce cardiovascular risk and increase health awareness among individuals with mental disorders, highlighting the need for further research in this area.