Joseph Firth
Biographic Data
| ID | 3747618 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Joseph Firth |
| GIVEN NAMES | Joseph |
| FAMILY NAME | Firth |
| SIGNATURE | FIRTH J |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Manchester |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-0618-2752 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 25 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 3 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 25 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2017 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Can social adversity and mental, physical and oral multimorbidity form a syndemic? A concept and protocol paper
the syndemic conceptualisation provides a valuable framework to understand health and illness, and hence to better design and deliver effective and cost-effective preventative and curative integrated (syndemic) care to improve patient and population health. Such syndemic care aims to address the social determinants of health, whilst simultaneously managing all interlocked conditions
Exergames for falls prevention in sheltered homes
Introduction: Falls prevention is a global priority given its substantial impact on older adults and cost to healthcare systems. Advances in telerehabilitation technology such as `exergaming' show potential for delivering accessible, engaging exercise programs for older adults. This study aimed to establish the feasibility, acceptability and usability of exergaming in sheltered housing. Methods: = 1 home 2, 12 participants) provided usual care fo…
Healthcare Professionals' Views on the Use of Passive Sensing and Machine Learning Approaches in Secondary Mental Healthcare
INTRODUCTION: Globally, many people experience mental health difficulties, and the current workforce capacity is insufficient to meet this demand, with growth not keeping pace with need. Digital devices that passively collect data and utilise machine learning to generate insights could enhance current mental health practices and help service users manage their mental health. However, little is known about mental healthcare professionals' perspect…
Thirty years of research on physical activity, mental health, and wellbeing
The sheer volume of research publications on physical activity, mental health, and wellbeing is overwhelming. The aim of this study was to perform a broad-ranging scientometric analysis to evaluate key themes and trends over the past decades, informing future lines of research. We searched the Web of Science Core Collection from inception until December 7, 2021, using the appropriate search terms such as “physical activity” or “mental health,” wi…
The Potential Impact of a Public Health Approach to Improving the Physical Health of People Living with Mental Illness
With already wide disparities in physical health and life expectancy, COVID-19 presents people with mental illness with additional threats to their health: decreased access to health services, increased social isolation, and increased socio-economic disadvantage. Each of these factors has exacerbated the risk of poor health and early death for people with mental illness post-COVID-19. Unless effective primary care and preventative health response…
Neurological, Psychiatric, and Psychological Implications of the Covid-19 Pandemic
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 disease (SARS-CoV-2) is the most severe manifestation of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Accruing evidence indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic may have profound deleterious neurological, psychiatric, and psychological outcomes. The number of systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) on this topic has grown exponentially. This protocol aims to synthesize all evidence fro…
The growing field of digital psychiatry
As the COVID‐19 pandemic has largely increased the utilization of telehealth, mobile mental health technologies – such as smartphone apps, virtual reality, chatbots, and social media – have also gained attention. These digital health technologies offer the potential of accessible and scalable interventions that can augment traditional care. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive update on the overall field of digital psychiatry, covering thre…
Alcohol use and mental health during Covid-19 lockdown
Longitudinal Course of Depressive, Anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms After Heart Surgery
Physical Multimorbidity and Social Participation in Adult Aged 65 Years and Older From Six Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Older people with multimorbidity had lower levels of social participation in LMICs. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to further investigate temporal associations, and whether addressing social participation can lead to better health outcomes among older people with multimorbidity in LMICs
WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour for children and adolescents aged 5–17 years
A meta‐review of “lifestyle psychiatry”
There is increasing academic and clinical interest in how “lifestyle factors” traditionally associated with physical health may also relate to mental health and psychological well‐being. In response, international and national health bodies are producing guidelines to address health behaviors in the prevention and treatment of mental illness. However, the current evidence for the causal role of lifestyle factors in the onset and prognosis of ment…
Digital Mental Health and Covid-19
As interest in and use of telehealth during the COVID-19 global pandemic increase, the potential of digital health to increase access and quality of mental health is becoming clear. Although the world today must “flatten the curve” of spread of the virus, we argue that now is the time to “accelerate and bend the curve” on digital health. Increased investments in digital health today will yield unprecedented access to high-quality mental health ca…
World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour
Objectives To describe new WHO 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Methods The guidelines were developed in accordance with WHO protocols. An expert Guideline Development Group reviewed evidence to assess associations between physical activity and sedentary behaviour for an agreed set of health outcomes and population groups. The assessment used and systematically updated recent relevant systematic reviews; new primary r…
Authors’ Response
Firth, Joseph PhD; Marx, Wolfgang PhD; Carney, Rebekah PhD; Teasdale, Scott B. PhD; Solmi, Marco MD; Stubbs, Brendon PhD; Schuch, Felipe B. PhD; Carvalho, André F. MD; Jacka, Felice PhD; Sarris, Jerome PhD Author Information
Handgrip Strength Is Associated With Hippocampal Volume and White Matter Hyperintensities in Major Depression and Healthy Controls
OBJECTIVE: Emerging evidence suggests that handgrip strength (a proxy for muscular fitness) is associated with better cognitive performance in people with major depressive disorder (MDD). The underlying processes are unclear, although hippocampal volume (HCV) reductions and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) have been implicated. Therefore, we investigated the associations between handgrip strength and various brain region volumes and WMHs in M…
Prevalence and Correlates of Exercise Addiction in the Presence vs. Absence of Indicated Eating Disorders
Despite the many benefits of regular, sustained exercise, there is evidence that exercise can become addictive, to the point where the exerciser experiences negative physiological and psychological symptoms, including withdrawal symptoms upon cessation, training through injury, and the detriment of social relationships. Furthermore, recent evidence suggests that the etiology of exercise addiction is different depending on the presence or absence …
The Lancet Psychiatry Commission
The Effects of Dietary Improvement on Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety
Physical Activity and Incident Depression
EPA guidance on physical activity as a treatment for severe mental illness
Physical activity (PA) may be therapeutic for people with severe mental illness (SMI) who generally have low PA and experience numerous life style-related medical complications. We conducted a meta-review of PA interventions and their impact on health outcomes for people with SMI, including schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder. We searched major electronic databases until January 2018 for systemat…
The efficacy of smartphone‐based mental health interventions for depressive symptoms
The rapid advances and adoption of smartphone technology presents a novel opportunity for delivering mental health interventions on a population scale. Despite multi‐sector investment along with wide‐scale advertising and availability to the general population, the evidence supporting the use of smartphone apps in the treatment of depression has not been empirically evaluated. Thus, we conducted the first meta‐analysis of smartphone apps for depr…
Sedentary behavior and physical activity levels in people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder
People with severe mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder) die up to 15 years prematurely due to chronic somatic comorbidities. Sedentary behavior and low physical activity are independent yet modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease and premature mortality in these people. A comprehensive meta‐analysis exploring these risk factors is lacking in this vulnerable population. We conducted a meta‐analys…
An examination of the anxiolytic effects of exercise for people with anxiety and stress-related disorders
Physical activity and sedentary behavior in people with major depressive disorder
Prevalence and Correlates of Exercise Addiction in the Presence vs. Absence of Indicated Eating Disorders
Despite the many benefits of regular, sustained exercise, there is evidence that exercise can become addictive, to the point where the exerciser experiences negative physiological and psychological symptoms, including withdrawal symptoms upon cessation, training through injury, and the detriment of social relationships. Furthermore, recent evidence suggests that the etiology of exercise addiction is different depending on the presence or absence …
Physical Multimorbidity and Social Participation in Adult Aged 65 Years and Older From Six Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Older people with multimorbidity had lower levels of social participation in LMICs. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to further investigate temporal associations, and whether addressing social participation can lead to better health outcomes among older people with multimorbidity in LMICs
The efficacy of smartphone‐based mental health interventions for depressive symptoms
The rapid advances and adoption of smartphone technology presents a novel opportunity for delivering mental health interventions on a population scale. Despite multi‐sector investment along with wide‐scale advertising and availability to the general population, the evidence supporting the use of smartphone apps in the treatment of depression has not been empirically evaluated. Thus, we conducted the first meta‐analysis of smartphone apps for depr…
Sedentary behavior and physical activity levels in people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder
People with severe mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder) die up to 15 years prematurely due to chronic somatic comorbidities. Sedentary behavior and low physical activity are independent yet modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease and premature mortality in these people. A comprehensive meta‐analysis exploring these risk factors is lacking in this vulnerable population. We conducted a meta‐analys…
An examination of the anxiolytic effects of exercise for people with anxiety and stress-related disorders
Physical activity and sedentary behavior in people with major depressive disorder
Physical Activity and Incident Depression
EPA guidance on physical activity as a treatment for severe mental illness
Physical activity (PA) may be therapeutic for people with severe mental illness (SMI) who generally have low PA and experience numerous life style-related medical complications. We conducted a meta-review of PA interventions and their impact on health outcomes for people with SMI, including schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder. We searched major electronic databases until January 2018 for systemat…
The Lancet Psychiatry Commission
The Effects of Dietary Improvement on Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety
WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour for children and adolescents aged 5–17 years
A meta‐review of “lifestyle psychiatry”
There is increasing academic and clinical interest in how “lifestyle factors” traditionally associated with physical health may also relate to mental health and psychological well‐being. In response, international and national health bodies are producing guidelines to address health behaviors in the prevention and treatment of mental illness. However, the current evidence for the causal role of lifestyle factors in the onset and prognosis of ment…
Digital Mental Health and Covid-19
As interest in and use of telehealth during the COVID-19 global pandemic increase, the potential of digital health to increase access and quality of mental health is becoming clear. Although the world today must “flatten the curve” of spread of the virus, we argue that now is the time to “accelerate and bend the curve” on digital health. Increased investments in digital health today will yield unprecedented access to high-quality mental health ca…
World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour
Objectives To describe new WHO 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Methods The guidelines were developed in accordance with WHO protocols. An expert Guideline Development Group reviewed evidence to assess associations between physical activity and sedentary behaviour for an agreed set of health outcomes and population groups. The assessment used and systematically updated recent relevant systematic reviews; new primary r…
Authors’ Response
Firth, Joseph PhD; Marx, Wolfgang PhD; Carney, Rebekah PhD; Teasdale, Scott B. PhD; Solmi, Marco MD; Stubbs, Brendon PhD; Schuch, Felipe B. PhD; Carvalho, André F. MD; Jacka, Felice PhD; Sarris, Jerome PhD Author Information
Handgrip Strength Is Associated With Hippocampal Volume and White Matter Hyperintensities in Major Depression and Healthy Controls
OBJECTIVE: Emerging evidence suggests that handgrip strength (a proxy for muscular fitness) is associated with better cognitive performance in people with major depressive disorder (MDD). The underlying processes are unclear, although hippocampal volume (HCV) reductions and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) have been implicated. Therefore, we investigated the associations between handgrip strength and various brain region volumes and WMHs in M…
Prevalence and Correlates of Exercise Addiction in the Presence vs. Absence of Indicated Eating Disorders
Despite the many benefits of regular, sustained exercise, there is evidence that exercise can become addictive, to the point where the exerciser experiences negative physiological and psychological symptoms, including withdrawal symptoms upon cessation, training through injury, and the detriment of social relationships. Furthermore, recent evidence suggests that the etiology of exercise addiction is different depending on the presence or absence …
The growing field of digital psychiatry
As the COVID‐19 pandemic has largely increased the utilization of telehealth, mobile mental health technologies – such as smartphone apps, virtual reality, chatbots, and social media – have also gained attention. These digital health technologies offer the potential of accessible and scalable interventions that can augment traditional care. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive update on the overall field of digital psychiatry, covering thre…
Alcohol use and mental health during Covid-19 lockdown
Longitudinal Course of Depressive, Anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms After Heart Surgery
Physical Multimorbidity and Social Participation in Adult Aged 65 Years and Older From Six Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Older people with multimorbidity had lower levels of social participation in LMICs. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to further investigate temporal associations, and whether addressing social participation can lead to better health outcomes among older people with multimorbidity in LMICs
Thirty years of research on physical activity, mental health, and wellbeing
The sheer volume of research publications on physical activity, mental health, and wellbeing is overwhelming. The aim of this study was to perform a broad-ranging scientometric analysis to evaluate key themes and trends over the past decades, informing future lines of research. We searched the Web of Science Core Collection from inception until December 7, 2021, using the appropriate search terms such as “physical activity” or “mental health,” wi…
The Potential Impact of a Public Health Approach to Improving the Physical Health of People Living with Mental Illness
With already wide disparities in physical health and life expectancy, COVID-19 presents people with mental illness with additional threats to their health: decreased access to health services, increased social isolation, and increased socio-economic disadvantage. Each of these factors has exacerbated the risk of poor health and early death for people with mental illness post-COVID-19. Unless effective primary care and preventative health response…
Neurological, Psychiatric, and Psychological Implications of the Covid-19 Pandemic
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 disease (SARS-CoV-2) is the most severe manifestation of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Accruing evidence indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic may have profound deleterious neurological, psychiatric, and psychological outcomes. The number of systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) on this topic has grown exponentially. This protocol aims to synthesize all evidence fro…
Exergames for falls prevention in sheltered homes
Introduction: Falls prevention is a global priority given its substantial impact on older adults and cost to healthcare systems. Advances in telerehabilitation technology such as `exergaming' show potential for delivering accessible, engaging exercise programs for older adults. This study aimed to establish the feasibility, acceptability and usability of exergaming in sheltered housing. Methods: = 1 home 2, 12 participants) provided usual care fo…
Healthcare Professionals' Views on the Use of Passive Sensing and Machine Learning Approaches in Secondary Mental Healthcare
INTRODUCTION: Globally, many people experience mental health difficulties, and the current workforce capacity is insufficient to meet this demand, with growth not keeping pace with need. Digital devices that passively collect data and utilise machine learning to generate insights could enhance current mental health practices and help service users manage their mental health. However, little is known about mental healthcare professionals' perspect…
Can social adversity and mental, physical and oral multimorbidity form a syndemic? A concept and protocol paper
the syndemic conceptualisation provides a valuable framework to understand health and illness, and hence to better design and deliver effective and cost-effective preventative and curative integrated (syndemic) care to improve patient and population health. Such syndemic care aims to address the social determinants of health, whilst simultaneously managing all interlocked conditions
Medicine (16 works) · Psychology (13 works) · Psychiatry (12 works) · Mental health (10 works) · Environmental health (6 works) · Population (5 works) · Chronic Disease Management Strategies (4 works) · Digital Mental Health Interventions (4 works) · Health care (4 works) · Health disparities and outcomes (4 works)