The social determinants of mental health and disorder: evidence,prevention and recommendations

People exposed to more unfavourable social circumstances are more vulnerable to poor mental health over their life course, in ways that are often determined by structural factors which generate and perpetuate intergenerational cycles of disadvantage and poor health. Addressing these challenges is an imperative matter of social justice. In this paper we provide a roadmap to address the social determinants that cause mental ill health. Relying as far as possible on high-quality evidence, we first map out the literature that supports a causal link between social determinants and later mental health outcomes. Given the breadth of this topic, we focus on the most pervasive social determinants across the life course, and those that are common across major mental disorders. We draw primarily on the available evidence from the Global North, acknowledging that other global contexts will face both similar and unique sets of social determinants that will require equitable attention. Much of our evidence focuses on mental health in groups who are marginalized, and thus often exposed to a multitude of intersecting social risk factors. These groups include refugees, asylum seekers and displaced persons, as well as ethnoracial minoritized groups; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) groups; and those living in poverty. We then introduce a preventive framework for conceptualizing the link between social determinants and mental health and disorder, which can guide much needed primary prevention strategies capable of reducing inequalities and improving population mental health. Following this, we provide a review of the evidence concerning candidate preventive strategies to intervene on social determinants of mental health. These interventions fall broadly within the scope of universal, selected and indicated primary prevention strategies, but we also briefly review important secondary and tertiary strategies to promote recovery in those with existing mental disorders. Finally, we provide seven key recommendations, framed around social justice, which constitute a roadmap for action in research, policy and public health. Adoption of these recommendations would provide an opportunity to advance efforts to intervene on modifiable social determinants that affect population mental health.     

The roots of the concept of mental health

This paper reviews the origins of the current concept of mental health, starting from the mental hygiene movement, initiated in 1908 by consumers of psychiatric services and professionals interested in improving the conditions and the quality of treatment of people with mental disorders. The paper argues that, more than a scientific discipline, mental health is a political and ideological movement involving diverse segments of society, interested in the promotion of the human rights of people with mental disorders and the quality of their treatment.     

Barriers in the mind: promoting an economic case for mental health in low- and middle-income countries

In recent years, policy makers in high-income countries have placed an increasing emphasis on the value of maintaining good mental health, recognizing the contribution that this makes to quality of life, whilst ever more mindful of the socio-economic consequences of poor mental health. The picture in many other parts of the world is much less encouraging; policy attention and resources are still directed largely at communicable diseases. We reflect on some of the challenges faced in these countries and outline the role that economic evidence could play in strengthening the policy case for investment in mental health. Clearly this should include assessment of the economic impact of strategies implemented outside, as well as within the health sector. The ways in which mental health services are delivered is also of critical importance. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have long been shown to be key stakeholders in the funding, coordination and delivery of these services in high-income countries. Their role in low- and middle-income countries, where infrastructure and policy focus on mental health are more limited, can be even more vital in overcoming some of the barriers to the development of mental health policy and practice.     

Reform of mental health care in Serbia: ten steps plus one

Disastrous events in the country and the region caused a 13.5% increase in the prevalence of mental and behavioral disorders in Serbia in the last few years, thus making them the second largest public health problem. Due to prolonged adversities, the health system has deteriorated and is facing specific challenges. However, the reform of mental health care has been initiated, with a lot of positive movements such as the preparation of a national policy for mental health care and a law for protection of mentally ill individuals. The transformation of mental health services has started, with an accent on community care, antistigma campaigns and continuing education. Based on an assessment carried out by the National Committee on Mental Health, service provision, number of professionals working in services, funding arrangements, pathways into care, user/carer involvement and other specific issues are reported.     

Measuring and improving the quality of mental health care: a global perspective

Mental disorders are common worldwide, yet the quality of care for these disorders has not increased to the same extent as that for physical conditions. In this paper, we present a framework for promoting quality measurement as a tool for improving quality of mental health care. We identify key barriers to this effort, including lack of standardized information technology‐based data sources, limited scientific evidence for mental health quality measures, lack of provider training and support, and cultural barriers to integrating mental health care within general health environments. We describe several innovations that are underway worldwide which can mitigate these barriers. Based on these experiences, we offer several recommendations for improving quality of mental health care. Health care payers and providers will need a portfolio of validated measures of patient‐centered outcomes across a spectrum of conditions. Common data elements will have to be developed and embedded within existing electronic health records and other information technology tools. Mental health outcomes will need to be assessed more routinely, and measurement‐based care should become part of the overall culture of the mental health care system. Health care systems will need a valid way to stratify quality measures, in order to address potential gaps among subpopulations and identify groups in most need of quality improvement. Much more attention should be devoted to workforce training in and capacity for quality improvement. The field of mental health quality improvement is a team sport, requiring coordination across different providers, involvement of consumer advocates, and leveraging of resources and incentives from health care payers and systems.     

Public mental health: the time is ripe for translation of evidence into practice

Public mental health deals with mental health promotion, prevention of mental disorders and suicide, reducing mental health inequalities, and governance and organization of mental health service provision. The full impact of mental health is largely unrecognized within the public health sphere, despite the increasing burden of disease attributable to mental and behavioral disorders. Modern public mental health policies aim at improving psychosocial health by addressing determinants of mental health in all public policy areas. Stigmatization of mental disorders is a widespread phenomenon that constitutes a barrier for help-seeking and for the development of health care services, and is thus a core issue in public mental health actions. Lately, there has been heightened interest in the promotion of positive mental health and wellbeing. Effective programmes have been developed for promoting mental health in everyday settings such as families, schools and workplaces. New evidence indicates that many mental disorders and suicides are preventable by public mental health interventions. Available evidence favours the population approach over high-risk approaches. Public mental health emphasizes the role of primary care in the provision of mental health services to the population. The convincing evidence base for population-based mental health interventions asks for actions for putting evidence into practice.     

The contemporary refugee crisis: an overview of mental health challenges

There has been an unprecedented upsurge in the number of refugees worldwide, the majority being located in low‐income countries with limited resources in mental health care. This paper considers contemporary issues in the refugee mental health field, including developments in research, conceptual models, social and psychological interventions, and policy. Prevalence data yielded by cross‐sectional epidemiological studies do not allow a clear distinction to be made between situational forms of distress and frank mental disorder, a shortcoming that may be addressed by longitudinal studies. An evolving ecological model of research focuses on the dynamic inter‐relationship of past traumatic experiences, ongoing daily stressors and the background disruptions of core psychosocial systems, the scope extending beyond the individual to the conjugal couple and the family. Although brief, structured psychotherapies administered by lay counsellors have been shown to be effective in the short term for a range of traumatic stress responses, questions remain whether these interventions can be sustained in low‐resource settings and whether they meet the needs of complex cases. In the ideal circumstance, a comprehensive array of programs should be provided, including social and psychotherapeutic interventions, generic mental health services, rehabilitation, and special programs for vulnerable groups. Sustainability of services, ensuring best practice, evidence‐based approaches, and promoting equity of access must remain the goals of future developments, a daunting challenge given that most refugees reside in settings where skills and resources in mental health care are in shortest supply.     

Insights on the implications of COVID-19 mitigation measures for mental health

Given the unprecedented level and duration of mitigation policies during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, it is not surprising that the public and the media have raised important questions about the potential for negative mental health consequences of the measures. To answer them, natural variability in policy implementation across US states and over time was analyzed to determine if mitigation policies correlated with Google searches for terms associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Findings indicated that restaurant/bar limits and stay-at-home orders correlated with immediate increases in searches for isolation and worry but the effects tapered off two to four weeks after their respective peaks. Moreover, the policies correlated with a reduction in searches for antidepressants and suicide, thus revealing no evidence of increases in severe symptomatology. The policy implications of these findings are discussed.     

某军校学员心理健康情况调查分析

目的：了解军校学员心理健康状况,为军校心理辅导工作提供理论依据,提高军校教育管理水平,有效预防学员在校期间由于压力、情绪等因素造成的心理问题。方法：使用DXC-6型多项群体心理测评仪,对某军校不同年级1332名学员进行卡特尔16种人格个性因素测验。结果：①1332名被测试学员16PF得分总体呈现”五高三低”。②不同年级的学员在16PF多项因子上得分有差异（P〈0．05）。研究生在C、M、O等因子得分明显高于大三学员,而在A、F、H等得分明显低于大三学员（P〈0．05）;研究生在C因子得分明显高于大四学员（P〈0．05）,F、G、Y2因子得分明显低于大四学员（P〈0．05）,而在A、M、O、H这些因子的得分差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）;大三学员在A、H、X2等得分明显高于大四学员,而在M、O、Q1等得分明显低于大四学员（P〈0．05）。结论：军校学员的整体心理健康水平良好;本科学员（尤其是大三学员）的心理健康水平明显优于研究生;大三的学员在乐群性、敢为性、实验性、忧虑性等方面优于大四学员,和大四学员相比,大三学员更喜欢探索新生事物。     

Suicide index reduction in Slovenia: the impact of primary care provision

Background Education of primary care providers about diagnosis and treatment of depression and anxiety is an evidence-based suicide prevention measure.Aim To analyse suicide index, mental health epidemiological data and primary care provision in Slovenian regions and to identify examples of good suicide prevention practices in different Slovenian regions.Methods Analysis of existent epidemiological data on mental health in Slovenia.Results Anxiety and depression are the most common complaints in a representative sample of the Slovene population. The number of suicides in Slovenia had been dropping in the period from 2002 to 2006 and was again slowly rising in 2008. The number of visits to family physicians' practices because of mental health problems is low in comparison to other European countries, which might be attributed also to the high workload of family physicians. Suicide prevention programmes follow the example of the Suicide Prevention Project in the central-east region of Slovenia. This programme is based on education of primary care providers and the general public about recognition and treatment of depression in line with international guidelines.Conclusions The differentiation of causes for suicide reduction needs further research, as well as urgent improvement in the accessibility of primary care teams in Slovenia.     

围手术麻醉期患者睡眠质量与心理健康状态的相关性分析

目的：了解围手术麻醉期患者的睡眠质量与心理健康状态的关系。方法：对50例备行手术麻醉患者（试验组）及40名正常人（对照组）行匹兹堡睡眠质量指数问卷（PSQI）评定、抑郁自评量表（SDS）及焦虑自评量（SAS）评定,对上述量表结果进行分析。结果：试验组睡眠紊乱率、焦虑及抑郁发生率分别为：26％、24％及56％,两组PSQI、SAS及SDS评分异常率比较P〈0．05,差异有统计学意义。两组患者的PSQI总分、PSQI子项目睡眠效率及睡眠障碍、SDS标准分、SDS4个子项目精神性情感症状、躯体性障碍、精神运动性障碍、抑郁的心理障碍和SAS标准分比较P〈0．05,差异有统计学意义。相关性分析显示睡眠质量评分与心理健康状态评分呈负性相关。结论：围手术麻醉期患者存在焦虑抑郁躯体化情绪心理障碍及睡眠紊乱。围手术麻醉期患者睡眠质量评分与心理健康状态评分有关。     

围手术麻醉期患者睡眠质量与心理健康状态的相关性分析

目的:了解围手术麻醉期患者的睡眠质量与心理健康状态的关系。方法:对50例备行手术麻醉患者(试验组)及40名正常人(对照组)行匹兹堡睡眠质量指数问卷(PSQI)评定、抑郁自评量表(SDS)及焦虑自评量(SAS)评定,对上述量表结果进行分析。结果:试验组睡眠紊乱率、焦虑及抑郁发生率分别为:26%、24%及56%,两组PSQI、SAS及SDS评分异常率比较P<0.05,差异有统计学意义。两组患者的PSQI总分、PSQI子项目睡眠效率及睡眠障碍、SDS标准分、SDS 4个子项目精神性情感症状、躯体性障碍、精神运动性障碍、抑郁的心理障碍和SAS标准分比较P<0.05,差异有统计学意义。相关性分析显示睡眠质量评分与心理健康状态评分呈负性相关。结论:围手术麻醉期患者存在焦虑抑郁躯体化情绪心理障碍及睡眠紊乱。围手术麻醉期患者睡眠质量评分与心理健康状态评分有关。     

Lessons learned in developing community mental health care in Latin American and Caribbean countries

This paper summarizes the findings for the Latin American and Caribbeancountries of the WPA Task Force on Steps, Obstacles and Mistakes to Avoidin the Implementation of Community Mental Health Care. It presents an overviewof the provision of mental health services in the region; describes key experiencesin Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Jamaica and Mexico; and discussesthe lessons learned in developing community mental health care.     

Priorities for mental health research in Europe: A survey among national stakeholders' associations within the ROAMER project

Within the ROAMER project, funded by the European Commission, a survey was conducted with national associations/organizations of psychiatrists, other mental health professionals, users and/or carers, and psychiatric trainees in the 27 countries of the European Union, aiming to explore their views about priorities for mental health research in Europe. One hundred and eight associations/organizations returned the questionnaire. The five most frequently selected research priorities were early detection and management of mental disorders, quality of mental health services, prevention of mental disorders, rehabilitation and social inclusion, and new medications for mental disorders. All these areas, except the last one, were among the top ten research priorities according to all categories of stakeholders, along with stigma and discrimination. These results seem to support the recent argument that some rebalancing in favor of psychosocial and health service studies may be needed in psychiatric research.     

益生菌对宿主心理健康及脑功能的积极影响及其机制

肠道中的益生菌不仅对胃肠道发挥着益生作用,而且还调节着体内的激素水平和炎症平衡。通过免疫、内分泌和迷走神经途径,益生菌与大脑形成一个称之为脑¬—肠轴的反馈回路,深刻影响着大脑的认知功能及人体的情绪反应,促进宿主的心理健康。     

A conceptual framework for the revision of the ICD-10 classification of mental and behavioural disorders

The World Health Organization (WHO) is revising the ICD-10 classificationof mental and behavioural disorders, under the leadership of the Departmentof Mental Health and Substance Abuse and within the framework of the overallrevision framework as directed by the World Health Assembly. This articledescribes WHO’s perspective and priorities for mental and behaviouraldisorders classification in ICD-11, based on the recommendations of the InternationalAdvisory Group for the Revision of ICD-10 Mental and Behavioural Disorders.The WHO considers that the classification should be developed in consultationwith stakeholders, which include WHO member countries, multidisciplinary healthprofessionals, and users of mental health services and their families. Attentionto the cultural framework must be a key element in defining future classificationconcepts. Uses of the ICD that must be considered include clinical applications,research, teaching and training, health statistics, and public health. TheAdvisory Group has determined that the current revision represents a particularopportunity to improve the classification’s clinical utility, particularlyin global primary care settings where there is the greatest opportunity toidentify people who need mental health treatment. Based on WHO’s missionand constitution, the usefulness of the classification in helping WHO membercountries, particularly low- and middle-income countries, to reduce the diseaseburden associated with mental disorders is among the highest priorities forthe revision. This article describes the foundation provided by the recommendationsof the Advisory Group for the current phase of work.     

Population‐based analysis of health care contacts among suicide decedents: identifying opportunities for more targeted suicide prevention strategies

The objective of this study was to detail the nature and correlates of mental health and non‐mental health care contacts prior to suicide death. We conducted a systematic extraction of data from records at the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario of each person who died by suicide in the city of Toronto from 1998 to 2011. Data on 2,835 suicide deaths were linked with provincial health administrative data to identify health care contacts during the 12 months prior to suicide. Sub‐populations of suicide decedents based on the presence and type of mental health care contact were described and compared across socio‐demographic, clinical and suicide‐specific variables. Time periods from last mental health contact to date of death were calculated and a Cox proportional hazards model examined covariates. Among suicide decedents, 91.7% had some type of past‐year health care contact prior to death, 66.4% had a mental health care contact, and 25.3% had only non‐mental health contacts. The most common type of mental health contact was an outpatient primary care visit (54.0%), followed by an outpatient psychiatric visit (39.8%), an emergency department visit (31.1%), and a psychiatric hospitalization (21.0%). The median time from last mental health contact to death was 18 days (interquartile range 5‐63). Mental health contact was significantly associated with female gender, age 25‐64, absence of a psychosocial stressor, diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, past suicide attempt, self‐poisoning method and absence of a suicide note. Significant differences between sub‐populations of suicide decedents based on the presence and nature of their health care contacts suggest the need for targeting of community and clinical‐based suicide prevention strategies. The predominance of ambulatory mental health care contacts, often close to the time of death, reinforce the importance of concentrating efforts on embedding risk assessment and care pathways into all routine primary and specialty clinical care, and not only acute care settings.