Citation

Henry M. Prev. Med. 2021; 152(Pt 1): e106772.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106772

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a priority area in achieving health and sustainable development, mental health is incorporated in the United Nations 2016-2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health (2019-2023): Universal Health Coverage for Mental Health promotes a vision that "all people achieve the highest standard of mental health and well-being." Its targets are increasing coverage of severe mental health disorders, reducing premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases and suicide mortality, and reinforcing prevention and treatment of substance abuse (World Health Organization (WHO), 2021a; World Health Organization (WHO), 2021b). The four major objectives of the WHO Action Plan (2013−2020) include more effective leadership for mental health, provision of comprehensive, integrated community-based mental health and social care services, implementation of strategies for promotion and prevention, and strengthened information systems, evidence and research. Strategies are sought to boost mental health awareness, reduce stigma, improve accessibility of quality mental health services, and foster research to improve innovative treatments.

The COVID-19 public health crisis has exacerbated mental health demands while disrupting mental health service access. A 2020 WHO survey of 130 countries revealed how an already under-resourced mental health agenda has remained relatively unchanged beneath the mental health burden of COVID, with only 17% of countries having safeguarded additional funding in this domain (World Health Organization (WHO), 2021c; World Health Organization (WHO), 2021d). Outpatient and community services have been particularly disrupted...

Language: en