Mental health policy and practice across Europe: an overview

192 Mental health policy and practice
Skills training for the
unemployed
Taxation of alcohol and tobacco
Comprehensive and media community interventions for alcohol
Reduction of means to commit suicide
Policies to reduce economic insecurity
Social policies to promote social support and inclusion and prevent
social exclusion
Access to preschool education
Housing improvement
Infants and toddlers
During the first months and years of life there is more development in mental,
social and physical functioning than at any other time across the lifespan
(Unicef 2001). A healthy start in life greatly enhances a child’s later functioning
in school, with peers, in later intimate relationships and with broader connections
with society. Interventions at the early start of life, including home-based
parenting and preschool interventions, mostly focus on enhancing the resilience
and competence of parents and families through educational strategies
(WHO 2004c). Such interventions have proved successful in improving both
parents’ and children’s physical and mental health, and children’s competence,
mental well-being and functioning in society, with an impact across generations
(WHO 2004c; Brown and Sturgeon 2006).
Pregnancy free of addictive substances
The use of the addictive substances, alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs during
pregnancy can cause harm to the foetus and child (Tuthill et al. 1999). In particular,
tobacco doubles the risk of low birth weight (Institute of Medicine
2001). Strategies that work include educational programmes to help pregnant
women to quit smoking and increase the birth weight of infants with both
immediate and long-term mental health gain (Institute of Medicine 2001).
For instance, Windsor et al. (1993) evaluated a 15-minute behavioural intervention
for pregnant smokers, showing a 6 per cent increase in smoking
cessation. Among those who quit, their babies were 200 grams heavier at
birth while cutting down on smoking increased birth weight by half this
amount.
Home visits to first-time mothers
First-time pregnant women, especially those who are single, adolescent or from
impoverished backgrounds, are at increased risk of mental health problems and
more likely to fail in providing a healthy start to life for their children (WHO
2004c). Often associated, pre-term delivery and low birth weight increase the