The Relationship Between Psychiatric Research and Public Policy

1988 ◽  
Vol 153 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leon Eisenberg

The rationale upon which public policy for the support of psychiatric research has been fashioned and the extent to which the results of that research are used to shape public mental-health policy are examined. Support for research competes with other claims for resource allocation and the decisions made reflect the relative strength of the interested constituencies. When research findings promise cost savings, they are readily adopted (sometimes unwisely so), but when they require substantial new outlays or changes in bureaucratic agencies, they are all too often ignored.

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-303
Author(s):  
Anthony L Pillay ◽  
Anne L Kramers-Olen

The COVID-19 pandemic heralded challenges that were both significant and unfamiliar, placing inordinate burdens on health care systems, economies, and the collective psyche of citizens. The pandemic underscored the tenuous intersections between public mental health care, politics, economics, and psychosocial capital. In South Africa, the inadequacies of the public health system have been laid bare, and the disproportionate privileges of the private health care system exposed. This article critically considers government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, the psychosocial correlates of lockdown, politics, corruption, and public mental health policy in South Africa.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  

Abstract The workshop has the aim to help developing and strengthening policies for Public Mental Health and support experience sharing platform for Public Mental Health policy development. Mental health policy defines the vision for the future mental health of the national population and internationally. The WHOs developed three recommendations for the development of mental health policy, strategic plans and for organizing services which are to deinstitutionalise mental health care; to integrate mental health into general health care; and to develop community mental health services. For each this aim a situational analysis and needs assessment is recommended as first step. Therefore, this workshop consists of four talks in the development of mental health policies at the regional and national level. First, the process of population consultations and participatory research is described (Felix Sisenop). Participatory research enables exchanging experiences, results and key challenges in Public Mental Health. Participatory research can contribute greatly in empowering people to discuss and deal with mental health issues and therefore is a step towards a more involved and active general public. Second, a policy development at the regional level is described (Elvira Mauz). On behalf of the federal ministry of health the Robert Koch Institute as the German public health institute is currently developing a concept for a national Mental Health Surveillance (MHS). In the talk objectives, framework model and work processes are presented. The MHS should systematically gather, process and analyze primary and secondary data, thus an integrating and monitoring system is working. Third, the Public Mental Health policy in Malta will be described (John Cachia) Over the last 7 years CMH Malta developed a strategic framework for the mental health with the input of patients, families, service providers, NGOs and civil society. The Maltese National Mental Health Strategy 2020-2030 was published in July 2019. This strategy will be described in the Talk. Fourth presenter (Ignas Rubikas) will introduce the national perspective on development of Lithuanian mental health policy addressing major public mental health challenges of suicide prevention, alcohol control policies and mental health promotion in a broader context of national mental health care. Key messages Participatory research in Public Mental Health is an approach to involve the population in policy development. Development of mental health policies can benefit from sharing experiences and lessons learned on a national and regional levels.


1997 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Nielsen ◽  
Philip Ward

Funding constraints and management practices are increasing pressure on clinicalautonomy within Australian mental health services. The introduction of total qualitymanagement, output-based funding and changes to public mental health policy havepromoted business-like efficiency and increased control of resources. It is argued thatsuch moves significantly circumscribe the discretionary authority that mental healthprofessionals have previously enjoyed. This paper attempts to highlight the ethical andmoral tension inherent within a corporate management approach, and calls formental health services to acknowledge the value of intellectual capital, creativity andinnovation.


1996 ◽  
Vol 11 (S2) ◽  
pp. 66s-70s
Author(s):  
L Singer ◽  
T Kapfer

SummaryThe authors examine the situation of rehabilitation of schizophrenic patients in France. After describing the methodology of their survey, the results are given. The housing facilities include halfway houses, “therapeutic” flats. The rehabilitation facilities include outpatient clinics with vocational units and rehabilitation centres such as vocational centres and sheltered workshops. In addition, a few centres provide placement and follow-up in the workplace. This type of centre is a recent innovation which helps stabilized schizophrenic patients find a regular job. The Fondation Santé des Étudiants de France (the health foundation of French students) deserves particular mention because it provides rehabilitation to high school and university students. In the discussion, the authors emphasize the insufficient number of such facilities, due to French psychiatrists only quite recently becoming aware of the importance of rehabilitation, which in turn, leads to insufficient funding of public mental health. As a result, most of the rehabilitation facilities were created and are now managed by private associations such as Les Croix Marines, UNAFAM, MGEN, Fondation Santé des Étudiants, Route Nouvelle Alsace, CAPPA Clermont-Ferrand, etc. In addition, their administrative tutelage is so complex that very few new facilities are developed. In view of their experience, the authors suggest that a large number of vocational centres should be built since they provide an essential service. Thus schizophrenic patients could enjoy a decent life in our society and not become one of the already many homeless. The European Union and the Council of Europe ought to consider the increase of such centres as a significiant aspect of their mental health policy.


Legal Studies ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 349-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neville Harris

This paper examines the developing and complex legal relationship between universities and students, or would-be students, who have mental health problems. Discussion takes account of the wider social and policy contexts, including the extent of mental ill-health among the student population, the market for higher education, and government policies towards universities. It contends that the legal position of students with mental health problems demonstrates that there is a need for the relationship between students and universities to be conceptualised with reference to the citizenship ideal rather than the consumer paradigm with which it has tended to become associated in public policy terms.


2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 295-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yash Bhambhani ◽  
Gail Cabral

Although increasing evidence shows that mindfulness is positively related to mental health, the nature and mechanisms of this relationship are not fully understood. Based on previous research findings and suggestions, the authors of the current study hypothesized that decentering and nonattachment are 2 variables that mediate the relationship between mindfulness and psychological distress. A nonclinical, non-treatment-seeking sample of 308 students and employees from a middle-class, primarily Caucasian university filled out mindfulness, decentering, nonattachment, and mental distress measures online. Mediational analyses failed to support the hypothesis. Results suggest that mindfulness and nonattachment are independent predictors of nonclinical psychological distress and fully explain the effect of decentering on psychological distress. Results should be interpreted with caution and not generalized to clinical issues. A more comprehensive look into the mechanisms of mindfulness, especially with rigorous experimental, longitudinal studies, is warranted. The authors stress the importance of checking alternative, equivalent models in mediation studies.


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