Putting mental health at the heart of the public health agenda
Public Mental Health
Professor Kamaldeep Bhui
Based on the UK Faculty of Public
Health’s definitions and scope of public health and adapting
these, the following are the components of Public Mental
Health.
Public mental health can be defined
as:
The science and art of promoting and
protecting mental capital, mental health, emotional wellbeing and
preventing mental illness; and prolonging life and the quality of
life through the organised efforts of society.
It is population based and
- emphasises collective
responsibility for mental health, its protection and prevention of
mental distress and disorders
- recognises the key role of
the state, linked to a concern for the underlying socio-economic
and wider determinants of mental and physical and emotional health
and well being, as well as mental disorders
- emphasises partnerships with
all those who contribute to the health and wellbeing of the
population.
Three key domains of public mental health
practice:
Health
Improvement
- Inequalities
- Education
- Housing
- Employment
- Family/community
- Lifestyles
- Surveillance and monitoring of
specific diseases and risk factors
Improving services
- Clinical effectiveness
- Efficiency
- Service planning
- Audit and evaluation
- Clinical governance
- Equity
Health Protection
Parity of physical and mental health
protection including attention to
* Infectious, endocrine and
cardiovascular and respiratory diseases
* Nutrition and healthy lifestyles
* Child protection and prevention of
violence and abuse
* Managing work stress and occupational
hazards
* Emergency responses to disaster and
conflict
* Environmental health hazards including
global warming
* Building connected communities
including social capital and social networks
* Participating in society and sharing
in the political and social and economic successes and crime
prevention
The nine key areas for public health
practice:
The Faculty's core values are that public
health practice should be:
• equitable
• empowering
• effective
• evidence-based
• fair
• inclusive
In light of these core values, and the three
domains of public health practice, we have agreed nine key areas
for public health practice.
These nine areas are at the basis of all
standards of training and practice that the Faculty develops.
The nine key areas are:
• Surveillance and assessment of
the population's health and wellbeing
• Assessing the evidence of
effectiveness of health and healthcare interventions, programmes
and services
• Policy and strategy development
and implementation
• Strategic leadership and
collaborative working for health
• Health Improvement
• Health Protection
• Health and Social Service
Quality
• Public Health Intelligence
• Academic Public Health
Public mental health and
well-being
There is a clear association between
well-being, good mental health and improved outcomes for people of
all ages and social classes.
Why does it matter?
Poor mental health and well-being can have an
impact on every area of a person’s life; physical health,
education, employment, family, relationships, and the effects can
last a lifetime. It plays an important part of in
contributing to and maintaining health and social inequalities.
Good mental health and well-being are
associated with improved outcomes for individuals including
longevity, physical health, social connectedness, educational
achievement, criminality, maintaining a home, employment status and
productivity.
Mental health is not simply the absence of
mental illness. People recovering from mental health
conditions can have a positive state of well-being, and while those
who do not have a mental health condition may experience low levels
of well-being.
In the UK, mental illness accounts for over
20% of the total burden of disease; more than cardiovascular
disease and cancer.
The annual wider economic costs of mental
health problems in the UK at £110 billion a year.
What can we do?
Although future costs of mental illness will
double in real terms over the next 20 years, some of this cost
could be reduced by greater focus on whole-population mental health
promotion and prevention, alongside early diagnosis and
intervention.
Use a life course approach to ensure a
positive start in life and healthy adult and older years.
Build strength, safety and resilience: address
inequalities and ensure safety and security at individual,
relationship, community and environmental levels.
Develop sustainable, connected communities: create socially
inclusive communities that promote social networks and
environmental engagement.
Integrate physical and mental health, reduce
health-risk behaviour and promote physical activity.
Promote purpose and participation to enhance positive well-being
through a balance of physical and mental activity, relaxation,
generating a positive outlook, creativity and purposeful
community.