Science and Medicine

Global mental health

Global mental health is "the area of study, research and practice that places a priority on improving mental health and achieving equity in mental health for all people worldwide." The field focuses on improving the prevention, care, and treatment of mental health disorders globally, along with improving the quality of life for those living with such disorders. This is often with an emphasis on those living in resource-limited settings with less access to mental health treatment. Like with global health generally, there has been criticism of global mental health as a neo-colonial or "missionary" project. The medicalization of human experiences and treatments has also been criticized for ignoring local conceptualizations and methods for healing. Others have criticized pharmaceutical companies for moving into the global market just to get more clients. While many in the global mental health field study psychosocial interventions developed by or in collaboration with locals, due to constraints in resources like personnel and time, prescribing medication is often seen as more cost-effective. In recent years, there has been an emphasis on creating community-based, scalable, and sustainable interventions. The overall aim of the field of global mental health is to strengthen mental health all over the world by providing information about the mental health situation in all countries, as well as identifying mental health care needs in order to develop cost-effective interventions to meet those specific needs.

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See also

• ▸2008 United States salmonellosis outbreak
• ▸Fréjus
• ▸Hair transplantation

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