/Newsletter continue
looking forward to 2002

• Publications: a 2nd edition of the Afrikaans textbook to be published in February as well as the first edition English counterpart. The False Alarm! will be published in a book format (no ring binder) for easier distribution. It will include an additional chapter on substance abuse. The books will also be distributed to Employee Assistance Programmes so that the information is accessible to people in their work environments. The Algorithm book and Resource Guide will be updated and published in June and September respectively. Distribution is directly to the subscribers of SAMJ, CME and SAJP.
• Campaigns: We are presently organising Brain Awareness Week 2002, which will include an art competition for junior school children in the Western Cape, school and old-aged home talks with free memory-testing, library and community clinic involvement, as well as a media campaign including relevant articles and radio interviews. Planning for NADAW in October will begin early in the New Year. We are working closely with other mental health organisations and consumer bodies for both campaigns, in order to strengthen and improve awareness among the lay public and consumers.
• Education: We plan to host four CME activities during 2002 addressing topics such as Memory Testing, PTSD/Violence, Epilepsy & Alzheimer's and OCD. Consumer talks and health days will also be a focus. Nursing students and volunteers will continue to rotate through the centre where they will receive valuable training and assist us with administrative and information gathering/ dissemination tasks. Mental Disorders in Primary Care: Our involvement will continue with the Dept of Family Medicine & Primary Care as it is one of our goals to improve GP knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders in primary care settings. Planning for the Psychopharmacology 2003 congress starts early next year to ensure a high quality event. A GP focussed workshop will be added to the main congress. We will continue to improve and expand our website for greater user accessibility and information dissemination. We are also working on the Resource Guide going online next year – watch this space!
• Research: This will remain an important aspect of our work as we link the research efforts and findings of the MRC Research Unit on Anxiety and Stress Disorders with the public. Screening of recruits for drug trials will also continue. We will extend our mental health literacy and attitude studies to include the corporate world.
• Referral & information centre: We no longer have a toll-free number, but continue to offer referrals and information to the lay public, media, medical and mental health professionals as well as consumer bodies.

WHO World Health report 2001, Mental Health:
New understanding, new hope

According to the World Health Organisation's World Health Report 2001, one in four people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. Around 450 million people currently suffer from these conditions, placing mental disorders among the leading causes of ill health and disability worldwide. The WHO estimates that nearly two-thirds of people with a known mental disorder never seek help from a health professional, although treatment is in many cases available. Stigma, discrimination and neglect are identified as barriers to care and treatment reaching people with mental disorders.

The WHO report aims to raise public and professional awareness of the real burden of mental disorders and their costs in human, social and economic terms. Governments are urged to look for mental health solutions that are already available and affordable. Ten recommendations are made that can be adapted by each country according to its needs and resources.

• Provide treatment of mental disorders in primary care: A fundamental step that enables the largest number of people to get easier and faster access to services. This calls for the training of general health personnel in the essential skills of mental health care, by including mental health in training curricula and refresher courses.
• Make psychotropic drugs available: By making these drugs available symptoms can be improved, disability reduced, the course of many disorders shortened and relapse prevented. Where psychosocial interventions and specialist professionals are unavailable, i.e. in under-resourced areas, these drugs provide first-line treatment.
• Give care in the community: By providing community mental health care and utilising all available resources, a better effect on the quality of life and outcome of individuals with chronic mental illness is possible. Furthermore, the care of patients is more cost-effective and respectful of human rights, leading to early intervention and limiting the stigma of treatment.
• Educate the public: Well-planned public awareness and education campaigns can reduce stigma and discrimination, increase the use of mental health services, and bring mental and physical health care closer to each other.
• Involve communities, families and consumers: This would lead to services having a better fit to people's needs and thus improving utilisation.
• Establish national policies, programmes and legislation: Mental health reforms should form part of larger health systems reforms. Health insurance schemes should not discriminate against persons with mental disorders, in order to increase access to treatment and reduce the burden of care.
• Develop human resources: As most developing countries lack an adequate number of specialists to staff mental health services, training of mental health professionals such as psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychiatric nurses, psychiatric social workers and occupational therapists should be increased and improved.
• Link with other sectors: Linking with and involving other non-health sectors such as education, labour, welfare, law, and non-governmental organisations, can improve the mental health of communities. This should involve co-operation and the sharing of resources to find solutions to a common community problem.
• Monitor community mental health: Mental health indicators should be included in health information and reporting systems. Monitoring is necessary to assess the effectiveness of mental health prevention and treatment programmes, and also strengthens arguments for the provision of further resources.
• Support more research: The report stresses the need to build the research capacity in developing countries. Research into the biological and psychosocial aspects of mental health are required to increase understanding of mental disorders and develop more effective interventions. International research interaction would improve the understanding of variations across communities and more can be learnt about the factors influencing the cause, course and outcome of mental disorders.

The Mental Health Information Centre contributes to many aspects of these recommendations. We believe that through our work and research we are addressing crucial issues to improve the early diagnosis, treatment and de-stigmatisation of mental illness in South Africa.

MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION CENTRE OF SOUTH AFRICA
Tel: +27 21 938 9229 / Fax: +27 21 933 5790
PO Box 19063, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa
Website: http://www.mentalhealthsa.co.za