Mental health and wellbeing

Mental health disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide and the impacts of these disorders are felt across all age groups. Mental health issues can be triggered and are exacerbated by a range of factors, including poverty, conflict, migration, loss of arable land sue to climate change, and urbanization. As such, addressing global mental health requires a multi-faceted approach that tackles the root causes of mental health issues. Poor mental health has a significant economic impact, with the cost of mental illness estimated to be $2.5 trillion globally. These costs are felt through decreased productivity, increased healthcare costs, and loss of lives. Despite the growing focus on mental health there is still a significant deficit of research concerning mental health compared to other areas of health. There is an urgent need to to improve our understanding of mental health issues within marginalised communities and to develop effective, low-cost interventions for them.

Example projects

• STOPS+ - Keele University
• The CONTROL (COgNitive Therapy for depRessiOn in tubercuLosis treatment) programme of research to improve outcomes for depression and TB in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
• Colombia communities project - Keele University
• Improving mental health outcomes in young people living with HIV/AIDS in Lesotho: Moving forward together
• CONTROL - Cognitive Therapy for depression in Tuberculosis treatment: a programme of research to improve outcomes for depression and TB in Pakistan.
• THEHOPE - Traditional healers working with primary care and mental health for early intervention in psychosis in adolescence: an intervention development and feasibility study.