Improving Mental Health Care

What types of mental health care are right for the 21st century—in all countries, around the world? What is the best balance of primary care and specialist mental health care for people with mental illness? What is the best evidence for effective treatments and services? Which methods are most suitable for answering these questions? These are the tough issues addressed by this book. Leading experts from across the world bring their experience to bear in a series of chapters that set out the very best evidence in this field. They present clear accounts of what is known, extensively referenced, with critical appraisals of the strength of the evidence and the robustness of the conclusions that can be drawn. This book was inspired by the work of Michele Tansella on the development of community care globally. It comprises four sections, identifying the challenges associated with providing mental health services in high-, middle- and low-income countries, then describing ways to meet these challenges. A section on new research methods to produce practical evidence is a novel aspect of the book. The final section addresses how best to deliver new forms of care, bearing in mind the human resources available. The chapters extensively cite specific studies to enhance the practical relevance. Much of the cited research involves service users so their voice is heard throughout the text. Mental health is rapidly becoming recognised as one of the leading global health challenges. This book adds to our knowledge of the challenge and the solutions and stands to make a significant contribution to global mental health.