Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Mental health, poverty and development
- Authors:
- FUNK Michelle, DREW Natalie, KNAPP Martin
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Public Mental Health, 11(4), 2012, pp.166-185.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
It is estimated that 80% of people suffering from mental health disorders live in low or middle income countries (LMICs). The poor are, in general, disproportionately affected by mental health problems. This paper, which builds on the findings of WHO's Report on Mental Health and Development, aims to highlight the health, social, economic, and human rights effects of unaddressed mental disorders in LMICs. The authors also propose effective strategies to address mental disorders and their impacts as part of an overall development strategy. The paper begins with a review of the research on mental disorders and poverty. There is evidence of strong links between poverty and mental disorder, supporting the argument that mental disorders should be an important concern for development strategies. Mental disorders have diverse and far-reaching social impacts, including homelessness, higher rates of imprisonment, poor educational opportunities and outcomes, lack of employment and reduced income. The authors suggest that targeted poverty alleviation programmes are needed to break the cycle between mental illness and poverty. These must include measures specifically addressing the needs of people with mental health conditions, such as the provision of accessible and effective services and support, facilitation of education, employment opportunities and housing, and enforcement of human rights protection.
Care in the community?
- Author:
- GRAY Susan
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 16(4), 2012, pp.211-213.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
In this article, a mental health service user reflects on her own experiences to highlight how people with mental health problems are ostensibly in the community but can still feel excluded. The author, who has used mental health services for 44 years, discusses her early experience of "traditional" care in a secure hospital and her current experience of care in the community, including using a day centre. The article describes care in the community as feeling like being in a "community of mentally ill people". The author comments on proposed day centre closures, social inclusion and exclusion, and her dream "to see a society where mentally ill people will be accepted as members of that society, not excluded from it".
Factors associated with suicidal thoughts in a large community study of older adults
- Authors:
- ALMEIDA Osvaldo P., et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 201(6), December 2012, pp.466-472.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
While thoughts about death and self-harm in old age are commonly associated with the presence of depression, evidence is accumulating that other risk factors may also be important. This cross sectional study examined the independent association between suicidal ideation in later life and demographic, lifestyle, socioeconomic, psychiatric and medical factors. A community-derived sample of 21,290 adults aged 60–101 years was enrolled from Australian primary care practices. Participants endorsing any of the four items of the Depressive Symptom Inventory –Suicidality Subscale were deemed to be experiencing suicidal thoughts. The 2-week prevalence of suicidal ideation was 4.8%. Male gender, higher education, current smoking, living alone, poor social support, no religious practice, financial strain, childhood physical abuse, history of suicide in the family, past depression, current anxiety, depression or comorbid anxiety and depression, past suicide attempt, pain, poor self-perceived health and current use of antidepressants were independently associated with suicidal ideation. Poor social support was associated with a population attributable fraction of 38.0%, followed by history of depression (23.6%), concurrent anxiety and depression (19.7%), prevalent anxiety (15.1%), pain (13.7%) and no religious practice (11.4%). While prevalent and past mood disorders could be valid targets for interventions to reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviour, the data indicate that social disconnectedness and stress account for a larger proportion of cases than mood disorders.
Facts about carers 2012: policy briefing
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 14p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This publication provides an overview of key facts and figures about carers. It includes information on: the number of carers; the characteristics of carers; what carers do; who carers care for; the impact of caring; and support for carers. It includes statistics on employment, health, age, tasks, finances and poverty, and rights. It reports that the vast majority of care in the UK is provided by family, friends and relatives. The care they provide is worth an estimated £119bn per year. Social services and the NHS rely on carers’ willingness and ability to provide care. The latest estimates suggest that there are nearly 6.5 million carers in the UK, a rise of just over 9%, from 5.8 million in 2001. This represents 10.5% of the total population, or 12.6% of the adult population.
Choice and control: the right to independent living: experiences of persons with intellectual disabilities and persons with mental health problems in nine EU member states
- Author:
- EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS
- Publisher:
- Publications Office of the European Union
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 84p.
- Place of publication:
- Luxembourg
Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) sets out the right to live independently and be included in the community. The aim of this report is to examine how persons with intellectual disabilities and persons with mental health problems in 9 EU Member States experience autonomy, inclusion and participation in their day-to-day lives. It also provides some examples of promising practices. The report draws on the findings of interview-based research (one-to-one and focus groups interviews) with persons with mental health problems and persons with intellectual disabilities carried out between November 2010 and July 2011 in Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Romania, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The results show that, although much has been done, more efforts are needed to ensure that persons with mental health problems and persons with intellectual disabilities have more choice and control over their lives and are included in the community on an equal basis with others. Most efforts to date have focused on deinstitutionalisation, but to achieve true independent living they should be accompanied by a range of social policy reforms in the areas of education, healthcare, employment, culture and support services.