MEB disorders are common and begin early in life
The greatest opportunity for prevention is among young people
There are multiyear effects of multiple preventive interventions on reducing substance abuse, conduct disorder, antisocial behavior, aggression, and child maltreatment
The incidence of depression among pregnant women and adolescents can be reduced
School-based violence prevention can reduce the base rate of aggressive problems in an average school by 25 to 33 percent
There are potential indicated preventive interventions for schizophrenia
Improving family functioning and positive parenting can have positive outcomes on mental health and can reduce poverty-related risk School-based preventive interventions aimed at improving social and emotional outcomes can also improve academic outcomes Interventions targeting families dealing with adversities, such as parental depression or divorce, can be effective in reducing risk for depression among children and increasing effective parenting Some preventive interventions have benefits that exceed costs, with the available evidence strongest for early childhood interventions Implementation is complex, and it is important that interventions be relevant to the target audiences. The progress identified above has led to a stronger understanding of the importance of protective factors. A 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report advocates for multidisciplinary prevention strategies at the community level that support the development of children in healthy social environments.7 In addition to advancements in the prevention of mental disorders, there continues to be steady progress in treating mental disorders as new drugs and stronger evidence-based outcomes become available.
In recent years, there has been increasing acknowledgement of the important role mental health plays in achieving global development goals, as illustrated by the inclusion of mental health in the Sustainable Development Goals. Depression is one of the leading causes of disability. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds. People with severe mental health conditions die prematurely –
as much as two decades early – due to preventable physical conditions.Despite progress in some countries, people with mental health conditions often experience severe human rights violations, discrimination, and stigma. Many mental health conditions can be effectively treated at relatively low cost, yet the gap between people needing care and those with access to care remains substantial. Effective
treatment coverage remains extremely low.Increased investment is required on all fronts: for mental health awareness to increase understanding and reduce stigma; for efforts to increase access to quality mental health care and effective treatments; and for research to identify new treatments and improve existing treatments for all mental disorders. In 2019, WHO launched the WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health (2019-2023):
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