Tackling determinants: effective interventions

Evidence generated from projects under the EU's Public Health programmes and other sources demonstrate that action on mental health is possible and can be cost-effective. This can be seen from many successful examples to promote good mental health, to reduce the burden of mental ill health and to protect the rights and the dignity of mentally ill and disabled people.

There is a large body of evidence on what works: the work from Hosman, Jané-Llopis, Saxena and Anderson (to name some key experts) can be very helpful here.

Currently, the main debates about mental health promotion concern the importance of achieving a balance between action to prevent mental health problems and action to promote mental health for all and the most effective ways of demonstrating the benefits of promoting mental health. Also here, outcomes of the MINDFUL project will be included.

(Effectiveness of) prevention of mental ill health

Suicide prevention

Prevention of depression

(Effectiveness of) mental health promotion (EUphact to be developed)

Concrete actions described may include:

• Support parenting and the early years of life
• Promote mental health in schools
• Promote workplace mental health
• Support mentally healthy ageing