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    Statement of The Problem

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    Samantha Mitch Espa�ol Flores
    The document discusses how economic crises negatively impact mental health and presents opportunities to strengthen policies and programs to mitigate these effects. It notes that the 2007 economic crisis increased unemployment, poverty, and government spending cuts in Europe. To address this, policies need to promote social determinants of health, public services, and accessible healthcare. Governments could help by protecting employment, assisting the unemployed, strengthening alcohol policies, and developing universal community-based mental healthcare.

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    Statement of The Problem

    Uploaded by

    Samantha Mitch Espa�ol Flores
    32 views2 pages
    The document discusses how economic crises negatively impact mental health and presents opportunities to strengthen policies and programs to mitigate these effects. It notes that the 2007 economic crisis increased unemployment, poverty, and government spending cuts in Europe. To address this, policies need to promote social determinants of health, public services, and accessible healthcare. Governments could help by protecting employment, assisting the unemployed, strengthening alcohol policies, and developing universal community-based mental healthcare.

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    STATEMENT-OF-THE-PROBLEM

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    The document discusses how economic crises negatively impact mental health and presents opportunities to strengthen policies and programs to mitigate these effects. It notes that the 2007 economic crisis increased unemployment, poverty, and government spending cuts in Europe. To address this, policies need to promote social determinants of health, public services, and accessible healthcare. Governments could help by protecting employment, assisting the unemployed, strengthening alcohol policies, and developing universal community-based mental healthcare.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    32 views2 pages

    Statement of The Problem

    Uploaded by

    Samantha Mitch Espa�ol Flores
    The document discusses how economic crises negatively impact mental health and presents opportunities to strengthen policies and programs to mitigate these effects. It notes that the 2007 economic crisis increased unemployment, poverty, and government spending cuts in Europe. To address this, policies need to promote social determinants of health, public services, and accessible healthcare. Governments could help by protecting employment, assisting the unemployed, strengthening alcohol policies, and developing universal community-based mental healthcare.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    1

    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

    It is well known that mental health problems are related to deprivation, poverty, inequality and

    other social and economic determinants of health. Economic crises are therefore times of high risk to the

    mental well-being of the population and of the people affected and their families.

    The economic crisis that started in 2007 has continued to pose major challenges in the WHO European

    Region. It has led to significant declines in economic activity, a rise in unemployment, depressed housing

    markets and an increasing number of people living in poverty. The rise in national debt is forcing

    governments to implement severe cuts in public spending. Significant risks remain in the world economy,

    and many countries are facing an era of austerity in health and welfare services.

    The focus on social and economic determinants of the forthcoming new European health policy, Health

    2020, will acknowledge these new life circumstances. It will stress that health objectives are influenced

    by a range of social objectives that require action across many sectors. This notion is especially important

    in times of economic crisis, because policy actions in sectors other than health can amend some of the

    health effects of the crisis. Targeted investment in public services that are crucial for many people’s

    well-being can ameliorate the social and economic determinants of health and the associated health

    disparities. The integrated response across policies must include accessible health services, with a focus

    on primary care response.

    This booklet aims to present current knowledge on how economic downturns affect population mental

    health and outlines some of the benefits of action that could be implemented to reduce the harmful effects

    on mental health of the current economic crisis. Of particular value is addressing both the benefits of

    welfare policies and the value of health action. Neither should be considered in isolation, since a lesson
    2

    from this crisis is the interconnectedness of economic activity and mental health.

    The effects of the present economic crisis on mental health present an opportunity to

    strengthen policies that would not only mitigate the impact of the recession on deaths and injuries arising

    from suicidal acts and alcohol use disorders but also reduce the health and economic burden presented by

    impaired mental health and alcohol use disorders in any economic cycle. There are powerful public health

    arguments for social protection, active labour market programmes, family support, debt relief and

    effective alcohol policy, and the present economic downturn strengthens these arguments.

    Governments could consider reorienting budgets to protect populations now and in the future by

    budgeting for measures that keep people employed, helping those who lose their jobs and their families to

    overcome the negative effects of unemployment and enabling unemployed people to regain work quickly.

    Governments could consider strengthening their alcohol policies, in particular by raising the price of

    alcohol or introducing a minimum price. Such a policy would have a particular effect on reducing the

    harm of risky and heavy episodic patterns of drinking.

    Mental health service provision needs to be strengthened by continued efforts to develop universal mental

    health care, supported by sound financial incentives for good quality community care.

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