Global Context of Mental Health and Mental Illness

“ Mental health is as important as physical health to the overall well-being of individuals, societies and countries. Yet only a small minority of the 450 million people suffering from a mental or behavioural disorders are receiving treatment” (The World Health Report 2001, Chapter 1)

In order to understand the global burden of mental disorders first we need to understand DALYs

DALYs are Disability Adjusted Life Years They’re a measure of the total length of time that a specific illness is disabling to an individual over the course of their life span

What does that mean? How are DALYs used? DALYs are a calculation of the total disability incurred due to a specific illness One measure of the global burden of disease

WHO Health Report, 2001 Here are the leading causes of years of life lived with a disability: Ages 15-44 4.7 Bipolar Disorder 4.9 Iron-Deficiency Anemia 4.9 Schizophrenia 5.5 Alcohol Use Disorder 16.4 Unipolar Depression % Total Disorder

WHO Health Report, 2001 This is how common mental disorders are in adults (18-54) 1.3 Any Disorder 1.1 Substance Use Disorders 5.3 Disruptive Behavioral Disorders 7.1 Mood Disorder 16.4 Anxiety Disorder Six Month Prevalence (%) Age = 18-54 Mental Disorder

Non-Communicable Diseases account for approximately 50% of adult disease burden in the “developing world” GLOBAL CONTEXT:

Non-Communicable Diseases account for approximately

50% of adult disease burden in the “developing world”

Mental disorders account for 5 of the top 10 in Global Burden of Disease (DALY’s) GLOBAL CONTEXT: HIV/AIDS Unipolar Depressive Disorders Road Traffic Accidents Tuberculosis Alcohol Use Disorders Self-Inflicted Injuries Iron-deficiency Amaemia Schizophrenia Bipolar Affective Disorder Violence HIV/AIDS Unipolar Depressive Disorders Road Traffic Accidents Tuberculosis Alcohol Use Disorders Self-Inflicted Injuries Iron-deficiency Amaemia Schizophrenia Bipolar Affective Disorder Violence

Mental disorders account for 5 of the top 10

in Global Burden of Disease (DALY’s)

By 2020 depression will be the second most costly (DALYs) disease worldwide 2020 GLOBAL CONTEXT:

By 2020 depression will be the

second most costly (DALYs) disease worldwide

How do mental disorders impact children and adolescents

Most mental illnesses onset during the adolescent years

WHO Health Report, 2001 This is how common mental disorders are in children and adolescents (9-17) 20.9 Any Disorder 2.0 Substance Use Disorders 10.3 Disruptive Behavioral Disorders 6.2 Mood Disorder 13.0 Anxiety Disorder Six Month Prevalence (%) Age = 9-17 Mental Disorder

“ Most of this burden is preventable on the basis of existing knowledge” ~ Lee Jong-wook (former WHO Director- General)

Further Reading World Health Report 2001, World Health Organization - mental health: new understanding, new hope http://www.who.int/whr/2001/en/index.html Global Burden of Neurological Disorders, World Health Organization, http://www.who.int/mental_health/neurology/chapter_2_neuro_disorders_public_h_challenges.pdf Mental Health Atlas, World Health Organization, 2005 http://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/atlas/global_results.pdf Country Resources for Neurological Disorders, World Health Organization Atlas, 2004 http://www.who.int/mental_health/neurology/neurogy_atlas_lr.pdf Child and Adolescent Mental Health Resources, World Health Organization, 2004 http://www.who.int/mental_health/resources/Child_ado_atlas.pdf Updated projections of global mortality and burden of disease, 2002–2030, World Health Organization - http:// www.who.int/healthinfo/statistics/bodprojectionspaper.pdf Suicide Statistics, World Health Organization http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/country_reports/en/index.html Global and regional burden of disease and risk factors, 2001 http://www.fic.nih.gov/news/fogarty/2006/dcpp_lancet_367.pdf

In Adolescent Mental Health For more information visit WWW.TEENMENTALHEALTH.ORG Sun Life Financial Chair