Making Mental Health Count
The Social and Economic Costs of Neglecting Mental Health Care
Despite the enormous burden that mental ill-health imposes on individuals, their families,
society, health systems and the economy, mental health care remains a neglected area
of health policy in too many countries. Mental disorders represent a considerable
disease burden, and have a significant impact on the lives of the OECD population,
and account for considerable direct and indirect costs. This report argues that even
in those OECD countries with a long history of deinstitutionalisation, there is still
a long way to go to make community-based mental health care that achieves good outcomes
for people with severe mental illness a reality. The disproportionate focus on severe
mental illness has meant that mild-to-moderate mental illnesses, which makes up the
largest burden of disease, have remained overwhelmingly neglected. This book addresses
the high cost of mental illness, weaknesses and innovative developments in the organisation
of care, changes and future directions for the mental health workforce, the need to
develop better indicators for mental health care and quality, and tools for better
governance of the mental health system. The high burden of mental ill health and the
accompanying costs in terms of reduced quality of life, loss of productivity, and
premature mortality, mean that making mental health count for all OECD countries is
a priority.
Published on July 08, 2014Also available in: Korean
In series:OECD Health Policy Studiesview more titles