What is this about?
This edition of Connections newsletter provides a copy of the recent article published in the respected peer review journal The Lancet Psychiatry on the Global Burden of Mental Health Diseases and Conditions and includes nine major mental health diseases/conditions as well as a catch-all category. The authors measured the global, regional, and national prevalence, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYS), years lived with disability (YLDs), and years of life lost (YLLs) for these 10 mental disorders from 1990 to 2019. This information covers some 204 countries and represents a comprehensive world-wide look at global mental health needs. The 14-page peer reviewed article also contains a number of useful graphics highlighting the data which is particularly valuable for companies involved in global markets and global trade.
The mental health issues addressed in the article include:
- depressive disorders
- anxiety disorders
- bipolar disorders
- schizophrenia
- autism spectrum disorders
- conduct disorders
- attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders
- eating disorders
- idiopathic developmental intellectual disabilities
- and a residual category of other mental disorders
Why is this important?
This article is important because it provides in one place all the relevant data on the changing prevalence of major mental health needs, diseases and conditions on a global basis. This data is particularly useful due to the current employer concern for the mental health needs of employees and their family members. This primarily post-COVID concern ranges from the traditional clinical mental health conditions described in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) published by the American Psychiatric Association to the emerging issues of mental well-being that have gained popularity as we recover from 2+ years of unprecedented global pandemic. This article helps identify the magnitude of the current mental health clinical disease burden facing employers, health care providers, governmental healthcare funders and private health plans
What can you do with this document?
- First, the article answers the questions…”How much mental health disease/disorders are we currently experiencing? And “How has this disease burden changed over the past 30 years?”
- Next, skim the document for the major types of findings that are relevant to your organization and population.
- Next, determine what specific mental health issues identified in the article are relevant given the comparative data available through your health plan vendor(s).
- Next, examine those data points for their significance in defining the mental health needs of your population and whether they can be used as baseline measures for future comparison purposes.
- Next, if you chose to implement any mental health interventions for your organization determine if the data in this article can be used to help you design the intervention(s).
- Finally, periodically examine the presenting mental health needs of your work force and consider whether additional program interventions and activities are indicated.
In summary, this very credible measurement of the mental health disease burden on a global basis provides a useful evidence-based set of reference points for estimating and measuring current and future mental health needs of working populations.