World Mental Health Casebook

In 1974, the World Health Organization began research on the effectiveness of mental health services in the developing world. Through their efforts they found that treatment methods were extremely limited in their usefulness and, in some cases, even inappropriate and harmful. Little has changed in the last quarter century of the 20th century, but the research in these countries has shown that psychological need often stems from poor physical conditions. Elements including social and economical inequalities, gender discrimination, political violence and malnutrition and poor physical health all contribute to the social and psychological decay of both individuals and communities. The goal of the WHO is to document previous studies on communities of developing countries and to build on this information in order to move forward in research. Using real cases based in the South Pacific, Asia, South and Latin America and Europe, this volume sets out examples of community-based interventions that have succeeded by implementing: outreach to the families and community to identify those in need; reliable and adequate drug supplies; treatment interventions; and healthy psychosocial environments.