Mental health in all policies

8/14/2019 Mental health in all policies

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National Research and Development Centre for Welfare andHealth

Knowledge for welfare and health

Mental Health in all Policies

Vappu Taipale, professor29.5.2008

WHOCC3PMH


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We live in a global world In Europe, especially in the EuropeanUnion, we live in a region which

acquires many gains from globalisation Still, the processes of globalisation arereflected in the economies and policiesof the countries, as well as in theeveryday lives of people

We have to plan our future, a worldthat is sustainable and more just


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Where is mental healthproduced?

Mental health is produced by allpolicies, all people, all civil societyactors It is produced in various settings: insocieties, schools, workplaces, naturalsurroundings, sports, hobbies Health creates social capital and socialcapital creates health and mental health

Mental health promotion is the bestway to increase mental health Mental health requires intersectorality,interdisciplinarity, interprofessionality this makes it so difficult in a world which

operates sectorwise


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Social capital means that trust, official ways of

operating in a society, citizens interest groups, social

norms, networks of people and other social structuresfacilitate economic development.

Trust is the core concept.

Social policies are part of sustainability

Social capital is a concept full of mental health capacity

dimension

What is Social Capital:


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The Concept of Sustainable Development

This leads us to elaborate these three aspect closer

keeping in mind the mental health issue

environmentally

imperative

socially just

economically affordable


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Mental health

has to be included in allpolicies

is an integral part of allpolicies


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How do psychosocial factors

affect?

Mental health has a strong socialelement where the emphasis is on

justice Psychosocial factors gainimportance with the informationsociety development

Psychosocial factors are alwaysinterpersonal, connected withrelations between people


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The industrial mode of production gave rise to the concept of life cycle

Childhood and youth were created as two distinctive phases of life.

Youth was a typical construction of the industrial society!

It didnt exist before referring to everyone, not only to the rich elites.

What about the concept of nuclear family may it also be a social

construct of the industrial society?

Working age became separated, as well working time and leisure tim

Retirement was an industrial innovation

Life cycle is changing now; youth is eating up both childhood and earlyadulthood

The crown of life, third age will last for nearly two decades


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The information society

and mental health


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The (future) information

society

will require mentalcapacities: flexibility,

innovativeness, creativity,connectivity, social skills,learning

as such it will be a mentalconstruction and the biggest threats willbe exclusion, poverty, mental

disorders and addiction &substance roblems


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A sound level of mentalhealth, high self-esteem,

vitality, resilience and a senseof coherence in ones life,form Europes basis of

success.


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Environment.Housing.


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Policies....

Combating homelessness

Preventing ghettos and marginalisation Promoting equity

Providing safe water, sanitation and shelter

Taking care of families with children and their needs

Enhancing accessible environments

All these policies contribute to our mental health


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There is no healthwithout mental health

Our natural, social, cultural and built

environment contribute to our mental health:

We need beauty, harmony, stimulation, social

networks, access to nature and silence


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Environmental Policies are an integral part of intersectoral

activities.

In EU countries the national environmental policies have

different contents; housing, environmental health, local agenda

activities may or may not have their home in the Ministry of

Environment, or the political decision making is located withinsome other Ministry.

However, the challenges are the same: striving towards

sustainable development.

Fresh air, potable water and safe, healthy food have been more

than hundred years our societal targets.


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Educationtraining

science..

R & D.


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All learning events and the development ofcapabilities take place much earlier than

what has been expected.

A prerequisite for the learning is that it

should take place in affectionate

relationships with adults and other children.


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We should bepatient enough to

allow a whole tree

grow up

and allow a whole

human being to

develop


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Social policies..


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"People in poor countries live

shorter lives than people in richcountries so that, if we takeincome and health together,there is more inequality in theworld than if we consider incomealone. While economicgrowth is the key to poverty

reduction, there is no evidencethat it will deliver automatichealth improvements in theabsence of appropriate policy"

(Angus Deaton, 2006 WIDER Annual


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Social exclusion is heavily affected/increased by globalisation as itstands now


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Integration into society

helps enhance health

Both theoretically and

methodologically, health researchhas recently increasingly focussedon cohesion in communities

and societies, peoplesintegrative needs and actionmodels that promote integration.


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Social Determinants of

Health:Poverty, Inequality,the Causes of the Causes

In rich countries with lowlevels of material deprivation,we have to focus on relativedeprivation rather thanabsolute deprivation

This makes the challenge


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Work..


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the future of work work is more demanding

knowledge is capital

old structures are fading out

the division between workinghours and free time is

disappearing we all live in a 24/7 society

the time concept is changing


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Competence is capital in

the Information SocietyWill the IS

create a new proletariat

result in wastage by creating incapacityfor work and exclusion

or

create new policies to reconcile work and

family life develop better work ergonomics

keep older people actively in work

adapt work for people?


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28An accessible world /labour market foreveryone

availability accessibility

affordability

awareness appropriatedness


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Innovation policies


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The changing societies and policies

The national science and technology policy waspreviously designed to respond to the needs ofinternationalising companies

the research policy was designed to supportnational universities,and the welfare policy were considered toaddress the needs of citizens.

An innovation policy that is aimed at promoting

current development should integrate all thesepolicy sectors and also be able to operate in aglobalising environment


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Doing, Using, Interacting

The scope of innovation policy will beexpanded

It will cover interaction (DUI, DoingUsing Interacting)An increasing emphasis is placed on theuser perspective and the need todevelop it

More attention should be focussed onpeople as users, consumers, customersand partners as innovation policyplayers, as mental capital.

To date this is rarely achieved.


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Where are the innovation policies?

innovations are only understood asrelating to technical fields and industry

innovation policy does not reach

peoples needs and everyday life it recognises ageing only as a burden,and leaves mental problems aside

mental health is crucial to innovation

activities service innovations are necessary to allcareissues

the number of social innovationsremains too modest


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New Innovation Policies?

Research & Development policies arechanging all over the world

Innovations, and social innovations aswell, are considered more and morecrucial for the development andcompetitiveness of nations

Innovation policy is currently the driverof information society development.

The policy paradigm is changingconstantly through an evolutionaryprocess.

Mental health policies are at the center of

future innovation policies!

If we can learn something from


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34If we can learn something fromcurrent research and projects, itcould be as follows:

Large-scale policy interventionsare more effective than narrowprogrammes targeted at specific

population groups. If permanent effects are to beachieved, political decision-making anddifferent policies need to operate in the

long term, over several decades even. Todays globalising world is turbulent,with effects being felt likewise incountries doing well.

Its time to move to interconnectivity


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The Eight Dimensions of the Lisbon Scores

Information Societyfor All

Innovation, R&D

Liberalization Completing the Single Market

Reducing State Aids

Network Industries Telecommunications

Utilities and Transportation

Efficient and IntegratedFinancial Services

Enterprise Environment

Conditions for start-ups Regulatory burden

Social Inclusion

Lifelong learning

Modernizing social protectionSustainable Development

Environment

Climate change.


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There is no health withoutmental health

There is no Lisbon Strategywithout social and mental

capital!

Documents

Mental health in all policies