4858 Mental Health Report - National University of Ireland, Galway

Background and Rationale
underlined the importance of mental health and the need for action in this area
on a cross-European level. Member States of the European Union were requested
to take action in this field by:
• Promoting mental health and preventing mental illness.
• Encouraging the exchange of best practice and information.
• Promoting joint projects with other Member States.
• Furthering and supporting research into mental health and its promotion.
This was further addressed by the Council Ministers of the European Union, when
Council Resolution of 18 November 1999 on the Promotion of Mental Health
(2000/C86/01) recognised the need for addressing the promotion of mental health
in the increased co-operation with applicant countries and invited the member
states to:
• To give due attention to mental health and to strengthen its promotion in
their policies.
• To collect good quality data on mental health and actively share it with other
Member States and the Commission.
• To develop and implement action to promote mental health and prevent
mental illness and promote exchange of good practices and joint projects with
other Member States.
• To stimulate and support research on mental health and its promotion, also
using the opportunities provided by the Fifth Framework programme of the
European Community for research, technological development and
demonstration activities (Council of European Union 1999).
The World Health Organisation (2001) stated that the formulation and evaluation
of policy require the existence of a well-functioning and co-ordinated
information system and that the mental health of communities should be
monitored by including mental health indicators in health information and
reporting systems. The WHO suggested indices should include both the numbers
of individuals with mental disorders and the quality of care, as well as more
general measures of the mental health of communities. Using these indicators,
research should be carried out on a wide international basis to understand
variations across communities and to learn more about the factors that influence
the cause, course and outcome of mental disorders (WHO 2001). European
initiatives have addressed the need for the collection of good quality data to
direct policy and practice in the mental health area. All over Europe there is an
increase in mental health problems and disturbances (e.g. depression and
substance abuse disorders) and therefore monitoring of the current trends in the
mental health of populations is necessary in all EU member states (STAKES 1999).
Mental health is seen as an indivisible part of general health and
reflects the equilibrium between the individual and the
environment. Mental health is influenced by individual
psychological and biological factors, social interactions, societal
structures and resources and cultural values. In this context,
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