About
Demography, stigma, conflict, COVID-19, and economic and social pressures are contributing to increasing mental health conditions across the world. In addition to the social impact, mental health conditions are impacting significantly on the economy and economic growth.
According to the WHO, “mental disorders are the leading contributor to the global burden of years lived with disability”. Yet a recent BMJ article argued that “All countries have failed to achieve universal health coverage for mental disorders, owing to barriers related to budget and stigma”.
At present, there is little global effort to address some of the underlying issues. We want to generate a global debate among key policy and health stakeholders on the importance of addressing mental health across our lives. We want to inspire and engage policymakers to ensure that people not only live longer lives, but longer and happier lives too.
Throughout this project, we will be looking at:
- The social and economic costs and implications of acute mental health conditions.
- Stigma surrounding mental health and the differences across generations and the life course.
- The current services and care provisions on mental health and how to best democratise access.
This project has been made possible through a grant from Boehringer Ingelheim.
Events
Upcoming events
Mental Health Matters: What are the policy priorities for the WHO?
Date: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Time: 3:30pm – 5:00pm CEST
Location: Geneva Press Club, Geneva, Switzerland
Join the ILC for an expert roundtable discussion exploring the impact of acute mental health conditions across the globe.
Past events
Mental Health Matters: What are the policy priorities for the Belgian Presidency and the next European Commission?
Date: Wednesday, 6 March 2024
Location: Silversquare Europe, Square de Meeûs 35, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
At this event, ILC hosted an expert roundtable discussion exploring mental health policy and best-practice in the EU.
Blogs
Mental health matters: how do we improve support for people living with acute mental health conditions in Europe?
23 February 2024
Across Europe, millions of people are affected by mental health conditions. OECD figures from 2018 suggest that around 17% of EU citizens live with a mental health condition, with acute conditions such as depressive disorders and schizophrenia affecting 4.5% and 1.3% people respectively. This figure has sharply increased since the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: a 2023 Eurobarometer survey found that 46% of the EU population had encountered feelings of depression or anxiety in the previous year.
We want to hear from you
We are looking to engage with stakeholders and experts in the following countries (but not exclusively):
- China
- Germany
- Japan
- UK
- US
If you would like to get involved in this project or have any questions, please contact Esther McNamara or Patrick Swain.