Oxford Textbook of Public Mental Health

Abstract

In the next few years, the global burden of disease due to mental illness is likely to overtake that of cancer and heart disease. There is research evidence to suggest that nearly half of psychiatric disorders in adulthood start below the age of 15 and nearly three quarters do so before 24 years indicating specific periods of vulnerability. It is evident that mental health and physical health are strongly inter-connected and yet often the focus of public health is on physical health. Promotion of good mental health and education about prevention of mental illness can take many forms. From teaching parenting skills to learning about managing stress from an early age to early intervention can help reduce the burden of mental illness. Public mental health has come into its own as a speciality of psychiatry and thus of medicine only in the last two decades and that too only in some parts of the world. In spite of the evidence for prevention of mental illness and promotion of mental health is getting stronger by the day there appears to be some reluctance among clinicians to take on the role of educators and advocates for public mental health. A common reason is lack of training in the subject at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels as focus is on treatment rather than prevention. Positive mental health can lead to better outcomes at a number of levels. This book brings together evidence on various aspects of public mental health which can be used for advocacy and education.