Making Mental Health Count
The Social and Economic Costs of Neglecting Mental Health Care
Despite the enormous burden that mental ill-health imposes on individuals, their families, society, health systems and the economy, mental health care remains a neglected area of health policy in too many countries. Mental disorders represent a considerable disease burden, and have a significant impact on the lives of the OECD population, and account for considerable direct and indirect costs. This report argues that even in those OECD countries with a long history of deinstitutionalisation, there is still a long way to go to make community-based mental health care that achieves good outcomes for people with severe mental illness a reality. The disproportionate focus on severe mental illness has meant that mild-to-moderate mental illnesses, which makes up the largest burden of disease, have remained overwhelmingly neglected. This book addresses the high cost of mental illness, weaknesses and innovative developments in the organisation of care, changes and future directions for the mental health workforce, the need to develop better indicators for mental health care and quality, and tools for better governance of the mental health system. The high burden of mental ill health and the accompanying costs in terms of reduced quality of life, loss of productivity, and premature mortality, mean that making mental health count for all OECD countries is a priority.
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Securing better care for mild-to-moderate disorders
This chapter explains that mild-to-moderate disorders are highly prevalent in OECD countries, and widely undertreated. The costs of untreated mild-to-moderate disorders are high, and countries need to strengthen and scale-up treatment for common conditions, such as depression and anxiety. The experiences of some OECD countries suggest that cost-effective treatments are available, but their adoption is not widespread. This chapter looks at ways that existing care delivery, particularly at the primary care level, can be improved. Examples of successful ways of ensuring that organisational and financial incentives align with desired outcomes of care provision for mild-to-moderate disorders are given. The growing range of cost-effective initiatives, particularly initiatives that promote access to psychological therapies, which are highly promising for delivery of better care for mild-to-moderate disorders, are explored.
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