Third Thematic Consultation Meeting: Information, Data and Knowledge in Mental Health

Key Messages

  • Recognition of progress made and scope for further activity. Through the EU Public Health programme, proposals for mental health indicators have been put forward, to cover: demographic and socio-economic data; mental health status; determinants of mental health; and mental health systems. 
  • Consistent, cyclical data collection and analysis is vital to the monitoring of interventions under the proposed strategy, and for the ongoing demonstration of efficacy for continued investment.
  • Cross-referencing of data in health as well as other areas of interest is vital, as data on mental health and wellbeing can often be extrapolated from other measures.
  • There are gaps in existing knowledge, and in proposed data for capture. These should be addressed as part of the strategy.

 

Summary of Discussion

Current Situation

The Helsinki WHO Declaration and Action Plan makes a commitment to improve surveillance of mental health and well being as well as of mental health problems, through standardised indicators and EU wide health surveys.  The Green Paper refers to the development of mental health research and knowledge system and recognises the need for more information on positive mental health and its determinants and for more opportunity to share practice.

DG SANCO’s objectives in relation to information are:

  • To develop an EU system of information and knowledge on health that is accessible to experts and the public
  • To become the reference  point for information to monitor the health of Europeans
  • To act as the basis for public health policy development

Challenges

A shared vision for mental health research should be driven by a desire to improve lives and to foster equality and inclusion.  The proposed strategy should outline priorities for EU mental health research, informed by the consultation discussions.

Improved information and knowledge are necessary for several purposes:

  • Monitoring, to assess and track changes over time in mental health status at national and EU level
  • Mapping social changes which are likely to have mental health consequences
  • To provide evidence of what works, when, at what cost to be able to make the case for investment in MHP and MDP and to inform policy development and implementation.

Topics

Gaps in knowledge were identified in the following areas:

Key groups: children, young people, ethnic minorities, asylum seekers

Key sectors: employment, social inclusion,

Levels: individual outcome data on health and quality of life; health impact assessment of policies; population attitudes

Data on mental health systems are often out of step with policy and practice in some MS: for example, available data tend to be hospital focused; and there are few data on children and young people’s mental health.

The current picture of mental health in the EU is therefore incomplete and does not cover all the domains required. In addition, data tend to be available in many different places and are not drawn together coherently to enable useful analysis.

Mental health is currently picked up in a range of different indicators although significant gaps remain. Data comparability continues to be a critical issue.

Areas for Action

  • Creating an infrastructure to facilitate the exchange of best practices, to add value.  This would include building stronger relationships between the research community, policy makers and service providers and strengthening research capacity through training and through opportunities for cross sectoral collaboration.
  • Regular monitoring of and reporting on the state of mental health in the EU
  • Development of indicators that include mental health determinants


 

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