Promotion

Mental health promotion requires a public health approach. It includes promotion
of health, prevention of illness and disability, treatment and rehabilitation of
those affected.
• Mental Health Action Plan for Europe (WHO European Ministerial Conference on
Mental Health 2005: 1): ‘Mental health promotion increases the quality of life and
mental well-being of the whole population, including people with mental health
problems and their carers’.
• Mental Health Promotion and Prevention Strategies for Coping with Anxiety, Depression
and Stress Related Disorders in Europe (Berkels et al. 2004): Mental health promotion
aims to: enhance the well being of individuals, groups and communities; create
individual, social, societal and environmental conditions that enable optimal
development through a reduction in mental health problems.
• Improving the Mental Health of the Population: Towards a Strategy on Mental Health for
the European Union (Commission of the European Communities 2005: 8): ‘Promotion
of mental health and prevention of mental ill health address individual,
family, community and social determinants of mental health, by strengthening
protective factors (e.g. resilience) and reducing risk factors’.
References
APPENDIX 2 229
Berkels, H., Henderson, J., Henke, N. et al. (2004) Mental Health Promotion and Prevention
Strategies for Coping with Anxiety, Depression and Stress Related Disorders in Europe: Final
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and Health.
Commission of the European Communities (2005) Improving the Mental Health of the Population:
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Herrman, H., Saxena, S. and Moodie, R. (eds) (2005) Promoting Mental Health Concepts, Emerging
Evidence Practice: Report of the World Health Organization, in Collaboration with Victoria
Health Promotion Foundation and the University of Melbourne. Geneva: WHO.
WHO (World Health Organization) (1997) The Jakarta Declaration for Health Promotion.
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WHO (World Health Organization) (2004a) Prevention of Mental Disorders: Effective Interventions
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(accessed 8 January 2006).
WHO (World Health Organisation) (2004b) Promoting Mental Health: Concepts, Emerging Evidence.
A report of the World Health Organisation, Department of Mental Health and
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WHO European Ministerial Conference on Mental Health (2005) Mental Health Action Plan
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