Why mental health?

The WHO estimates that 10% of the child and adult populations worldwide suffer from mental disorders at any one time, with mental disorders accounting for four of the ten leading causes of life lived with disability. The Lancet medical journal recently published a major series of articles-11 commentaries and 6 reviews-on global mental health, with a focus on mental disorders in low and middle income countries. In summary, the evidence collated in this Series, points to these facts:

• Mental health is so inextricably linked with other health and social concerns that there can be no health without mental health.
  
• Mental disorders affect people in all societies, and disproportionately affect the poor, and those who are disadvantaged and vulnerable.
  
• Mental disorders are, even in the poorest countries of the world, a leading cause of disability and loss of economic productivity.
  
• There is evidence that low-cost treatments (both drug and psychosocial) are feasible, affordable and effective for many mental disorders in developing countries. These treatments can be delivered by community or general health workers with adequate training and supervision.
  
• Despite this evidence, the treatment gap, i.e. the gap between those who need treatment and actually receive it, approaches 90% even for the most severe disorders.
  
• This gross lack of access to affordable evidence based care, and the continuing abuse of human rights of people with mental disorders is a stain on the conscience of the global health community.
  
• Despite the overwhelming evidence of suffering, solutions and lack of access, most new global health initiatives completely ignore mental health.

In the light of this evidence, the Series calls for action to scale up an evidence based package of services for people with mental disorders combined with a commitment to protect the human rights of those affected by mental disorders-and provides information on the costs, indicators and research strategies to support this action. The LSHTM's mission is to improve the health of people worldwide and actively promotes the call for action of the Lancet series. The mental health e-group hopes to contribute a mental health perspective to this mission through taught-courses, higher research degree supervision, research projects and advocacy. Click here for the full set of articles from the Lancet series, including the press release materials.