In current times, fast-paced changes challenge mental well-being. Whether it is global warming, job precariousness, poverty, social media generating high expectations, stigma and discrimination, rapid urbanization, migration, or sociocultural factors; or all of them together… Mental health is exposed to several stressors. In companies, workload, stress, work-life balance, organizational changes, and miscommunications are commonly added to this list with known implications on performance, employee engagement/retention, absenteeism, and lower creativity/innovation.

It is estimated that 1 in 8 people around the world, so one billion people, are living with a mental disorder; with anxiety and depressive disorders the most common. In LMICs, the burden of mental disorders is even higher, at 16.6%.

Mental well-being allows us to cope with daily stressors; while mental disorders can reduce life expectancy by weakening the immune system, increasing heart diseases, substance abuse, and suicide. These also lead to significant economic implications for individuals, families, companies, and more globally, societies.

In LMICs, The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 75% of people with mental health conditions in LMICs receive no treatment because of limited availability of mental health services. Mental health is closely linked to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including those related to health and well-being, poverty reduction, gender equality, and education.

Mental Unwellness

Burden and Challenges

Mental Health Consultancies

Surveys and Interventions

Detecting mental health problems at the community, group, or individual levels allows for providing targeted cost-effective responses. Screening tools exist that are designed to be simple, quick, and easy to administer by non-specialists. Information such as incidence of mental disorders, symptom severity, but also improvements in psychological well-being, reduction in risk factors and stress levels are valuable quantitative epidemiological criteria to assess the effectiveness of interventions.

Of course, if possible, the involvement of a specialist would add valuable insight to a Mental Health Report. Implementing collaborative care models, where mental health specialists work in coordination with primary care providers, can improve the detection and management of mental health issues in LMICs. Community outreach and awareness with culturally adapted approaches in collaboration with local organizations have shown that significant Mental Health improvements are possible when the situation analysis is well performed.

More specifically, in companies, employee mental health surveys or screenings can be matched to access tailored Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and result in positive outcomes on productivity and employee retention.

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