Mental Health Epidemiology
Mental illness is a growing public health concern. According to the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 (GBD 2015), mental disorders are among the leading causes of nonfatal burden worldwide. According to the GBD 2015, depressive disorders and anxiety disorders, in particular, were leading contributors to years lived with disability (YLDs), a measure of nonfatal burden.
Most people in low and middle-income countries who have mental health problems are not supported by trained professionals, or able to access to evidence-based treatments. Improved understanding of the burden and the risk factors of mental health disorders help to prevent them and prevent the associated morbidity and disability. Therefore, there is a need to build the capacity of health workers about these conditions so that they can plan and implement interventions that help to reduce the burden associated with mental health disorders. A focused training on mental health disorders that accommodates the specific needs of countries in EMR is expected to have a considerable impact on reducing the burden of mental health disorders and the development and implementation of action plans to control and prevent mental health disorders and their risk factors.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe the epidemiology of mental health problems and their determinants
- Evaluate the measures of mental disorders burden and their applications.
- Compare mental health services and the barriers to these services
- Describe the diversity of mental health and psychosocial issues in complex emergencies
- Design, conduct, and interpret quantitative mental health research studies
- Plan and design effective, efficient, culturally sensitive, and ethical mental health interventions and mental health promotion actions
Field Work
Residents spend seven weeks in the field work in order to be exposed to real-life situations and to practice the skills they gain with the guidance of a dedicated mentor. The following field projects are expected to be conducted during the field work period:
Option 1: Conduct a study in a specific topic of interest in mental health (e.g., eating disorders, addiction, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, mania, intimate partner abuse, child abuse, suicide, etc.).
Option 2: Residents will identify one community-based mental health promotion/prevention program. The program may focus on behavior change, changing local environments, public education, or developing new policies.
Option 3: Develop a mental health promotion/prevention program targeting one of the mental health issues.
Option 4: Use the WHO-AIMS tool to:
- Explore the current state of mental health services and policy quantitatively in your country
- Assess key components of a mental health system in your country
- Generate essential information that can be used to strengthen mental health policy, service delivery and provide suggestions for future direction and development in your country.
Targeted Group
The target audience for this programs includes health workers, project managers, researchers, policy makers at all levels, and other relevant persons interested in non-communicable diseases.
Certificate
