IOHMS: Strengthening Mental Health Systems Research Capacity - Harry Minas
Harry Minas*
Abstract
Mental health systems research is an essential component of effective mental health systems reform and development, providing the necessary evidence for policy, service design and practice, and monitoring the progress of reform. Capacity for high quality mental health systems research is poorly developed in most low- and middle-income countries. Strategies need to be put in place to enable the development of a nationally relevant mental health systems research agenda, to build capacity for such research and to ensure that the products of research are used for the benefit of people with mental illness. The International Observatory on Mental Health Systems (IOMHS) is a growing network of collaborating research groups in academic institutions that can contribute to strengthening mental health systems research capacity and, thereby, contribute to improvements in the quality and reach of mental health services in low and middle-income countries, and to protection of the human rights of people with mental illness.
Key words: mental health systems; research; reform.
Rezumat
Cercetarea în domeniul sistemelor de sănătate mintală reprezintă o componentă esenţială a reformei şi dezvoltării eficiente a sistestemelor de sănătate mintală, deoarece furnizează dovezile necesare pentru politica de sănătate, serviciile de proiectare şi practică şi monitorizează progresele înregistrate de reformă. Capacitate de cercetare la standarde de înaltă calitate a sistemelor de sănătate mintală, este slab dezvoltată în majoritatea ţărilor cu venituri mici şi medii. Trebuiesc aplicate strategii care să permită dezvoltarea unei agende de cercetare a sistemelor de sănătate mintală relevante la nivel naţional; dezvoltarea capacităţii de cercetare şi asigurarea că produsele de cercetare sunt folosite în beneficiul persoanelor cu boli psihice. Observatorul Internaţional al Sistemelor de Sănătate Mintală (IOMHS) este o reţea tot mai mare de grupuri de cercetare care colaborează în instituţiile academice şi care pot contribui la consolidarea capacităţii de cercetare a sistemelor de sănătate mintală, participând astfel la îmbunătăţirea calităţii şi la facilitarea accesului la serviciile de sănătate mintală în ţările cu venituri mici şi medii, precum şi la protecţia drepturilor persoanelor cu boli mintale.
Cuvinte cheie: sisteme de sănătate mintală; cercetare; reformă.
______________________
* Director, Centre for International Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population Health, The University of Melbourne; 207 Bouverie Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia; Tel: +61 3 8344 0908; Email: h.minas@unimelb.edu.au
Introduction
Sustained cooperative action is required to improve the mental health of people in low and middle-income countries (1). In the past, health services in general, and mental health services in particular, received attention only as improved national economic circumstances allowed. However, there has been increasing recognition that investment in the health of populations is essential for national economic and social development (2). While this is true everywhere, in developing countries massive and often preventable public health problems constitute a major impediment to economic productivity and social development and a major drain on limited financial resources. Mental health, though still marginalized and neglected (3), is increasingly being recognized as a major public health problem (4-6). Although some progress is being made (7) examples of neglect and human rights abuses are still disturbingly common (8-11).
Recent decades have seen major advances in the development of effective pharmacological and other treatments for mental disorders. However, such advances produce no benefit to most of the world’s populations (12) because the mental health systems that are required to deliver services are poorly developed. While many low and middle-income countries are characterized by the presence of high quality mental health treatment services in the large urban centres there is frequently virtually no mental health service capacity in provincial, rural and remote regions.