Prevention is Better than Cure: A Public Health Imperative

Abstract

In this brief article, I provide a personal perspective and selected literature review on the merits of giving greater attention to interventions that tackle the known social risk factors for common mental disorders. These include both universal actions targeted at the general population and more focused interventions aimed at high-risk subgroups. In practice, most effective efforts involve a combination of both strategies. Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals could have a key role in promoting prevention, working closely with governmental bodies, and nongovernmental organizations that may be in the best position to deliver the required interventions. Having evidence from gold standard randomized controlled trials may be ideal, but in practice, are extremely difficult to deliver in this field and their absence should not be taken as an excuse for inaction.