Mental Health
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) there is "no health without mental health."
1 "Mental health refers to a broad array of activities directly
or indirectly related to the mental well-being component." It is part of the WHO's definition of
health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence
of disease. It is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities,
can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution
to his or her community.2
1. WHO. Mental health: facing the challenges, building solutions. Report
from the WHO European Ministerial Conference. Copenhagen, Denmark: WHO Regional Office for
Europe, 2005.
2. Healthy People 2020, accessed on 8/11/2014 from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/LHI/mentalHealth.aspx.
2. Healthy People 2020, accessed on 8/11/2014 from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/LHI/mentalHealth.aspx.
Mental health is an integral aspect of well-being and is essential for maintaining healthy family
and interpersonal relationships, and enables an individual to live a full and productive life.
Globally and in the U.S. mental health has the highest burden of all diseases.3
Mental health disorders also have a serious impact on physical health and are associated with the
prevalence, progression, and outcome of some of today's most pressing chronic diseases, including
diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. They have long-lasting effects that not only include high
psychosocial and economic costs for people living with the disorder, but also for their families,
schools, workplaces, and communities.4
3. Healthy People 2020, accessed on 8/11/2014 from
http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/LHI/mentalHealth.aspx.
4. Prince M, Patel V, Saxena S, Maj M, Maselko J, Phillips MR, Rahman A. Global Mental Health 1 - No health without mental health. Lancet. 2007 September 4. DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61238-0.
4. Prince M, Patel V, Saxena S, Maj M, Maselko J, Phillips MR, Rahman A. Global Mental Health 1 - No health without mental health. Lancet. 2007 September 4. DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61238-0.
Evidence suggests that mental disorder is independently associated with a substantial excess in
all-cause mortality risk. A meta-analysis of 15 population-based studies found that depression
diagnosis was signicantly linked with subsequent all-cause mortality (pooled odds ratio (OR)
of 1.7 (95% CI 1.5-2.0)).5 In addition to the relationship between poor mental health and suicide, research has shown that depression and
other mental health conditions are associated with an increased prevalence of chronic diseases.
Evidence has shown that mental health disorders-most often depression-are strongly associated with
the risk, occurrence, management, progression, and outcome of serious chronic diseases and health
conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, and cancer.5
The association is a complex self-propagating interrelationship between chronic disease and mental
illness.6
5. Prince M, Patel V, Saxena S, Maj M, Maselko J, Phillips MR, Rahman A.
Global Mental Health 1 - No health without mental health. Lancet. 2007 September 4.
DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61238-0.
6. Chapman DP, Perry GS, Strine TW. The vital link between chronic disease and depressive disorders. Prev Chronic Dis. 2005 Jan;2(1):A14. Epub 2004 Dec 15.
6. Chapman DP, Perry GS, Strine TW. The vital link between chronic disease and depressive disorders. Prev Chronic Dis. 2005 Jan;2(1):A14. Epub 2004 Dec 15.
Mental health disorders are a concern for people of all ages (children to older adults) and are
associated with age, gender, education, income level, race and ethnicity, geographical location
and sexual orientation.7 Mental health is strongly correlated with indicators of poverty, including low levels of education.8
7. Prince M, Patel V, Saxena S, Maj M, Maselko J, Phillips MR, Rahman A.
Global Mental Health 1 - No health without mental health. Lancet. 2007 September 4.
DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61238-0.
8. Healthy People 2020, accessed on 8/11/2014 from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/LHI/mentalHealth.aspx.
8. Healthy People 2020, accessed on 8/11/2014 from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/LHI/mentalHealth.aspx.
Mental health promotion involves actions to create living conditions and environments that support
mental health and allow people to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
Protective factors include individual, familial, and societal factors and can vary based on age and location.
For a detailed description see:
Protective factors include individual, familial, and societal factors and can vary based on age and location.
For a detailed description see:
- World Health Organization (WHO) http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs220/en/#,
- Center for Addiction and Mental (CAMH), https://knowledgex.camh.net/policy_health/mhpromotion/mhp_older_adults/Pages/protective_factors_mhp.aspx,,
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) http://captus.samhsa.gov/prevention-practice/prevention-and-behavioral-health/key-features-risk-protective-factors/1
Mental Health data can be obtained from both mortality as well as morbidity data sources:
- Mortality data provides data on deaths due to suicide completions, mental disorders and illness.
- Adult prevalence data come from Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services.
- Youth prevalence data come from Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services.
- Hospital Discharge Data (HDD) for inpatient and ED visits relating to mental health disorders.
- Treatment Episode Datasets (TEDS) can also be accessed from Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). TEDS provides information on the demographic and substance abuse characteristics of the 1.8 million annual admissions to treatment for abuse of alcohol and drugs in facilities that report to individual State administrative data systems. TEDS is an admission-based system, and TEDS admissions do not represent individuals. Thus, for example, an individual admitted to treatment twice within a calendar year would be counted as two admissions. TEDS does not include all admissions to substance abuse treatment. It includes admissions to facilities that are licensed or certified by the State substance abuse agency to provide substance abuse treatment (or are administratively tracked for other reasons). In general, facilities reporting TEDS data are those that receive State alcohol and/or drug agency funds (including Federal Block Grant funds) for the provision of alcohol and/or drug treatment services.
- Alaska Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
- Alaska Childhood Understanding Behaviors Survey (CUBS)
- Alaska Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
- Alaska Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)
- Alaska Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)
- Health Facilities Data Reporting (HFDR)
- National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)
- Syndromic Surveillance
- Adverse Childhood Experiences: Emotional Neglect
- Adverse Childhood Experiences: Emotional and Verbal Abuse
- Adverse Childhood Experiences: Incarcerated Household Member
- Adverse Childhood Experiences: Mental Illness in Household
- Adverse Childhood Experiences: Parents were Separated or Divorced
- Adverse Childhood Experiences: Physical Abuse
- Adverse Childhood Experiences: Physical Neglect
- Adverse Childhood Experiences: Sexual Abuse
- Adverse Childhood Experiences: Substance Abuse in Household
- Adverse Childhood Experiences: Total ACEs Count
- Adverse Childhood Experiences: Witnessed Abuse
- Alcohol - Alcohol-Induced Mortality Rate
- Alcohol - Binge Drinking Among Adults (18+)
- Alcohol - Binge Drinking Among High School Students (Grades 9-12)
- Alcohol - Current Drinking Among High School Students (Grades 9-12)
- Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
- Child Abuse and Neglect
- Dating Violence - Adolescents (Grades 9-12)
- Drug-induced Mortality Rate
- Drug-use - Cocaine - Adolescents (Grades 9-12)
- Drug-use - Illicit Drugs - Adolescents (Ages 12-17) (NSDUH)
- Drug-use - Marijuana - Adolescents (Grades 9-12)
- Drug-use - Prescription Drug Abuse - Adolescents (Grades 9-12)
- Major Depressive Episode - Adolescents (ages 12-17) (NSDUH)
- Mental Health - Adolescents (Grades 9-12) Feeling Sad/Hopeless for Two Weeks
- Mental Health - Adults (18+) Frequent Mental Distress
- Mental Health - Adults (18+) Increased Confusion or Memory Loss
- Mental Health - Adults (18+) - Mental Illness (NSDUH)
- Mental Health - Adults (18+) Past 30 Days
- Suicide - Ages 15-24 Mortality Rate
- Suicide - Ages 25+ Mortality Rate
- Suicide - All Ages Mortality Rate
- Support Systems - Adolescents (Grades 9-12) with 3 or more Adults (besides their parent(s))
- Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)
- BRFSS - Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System - Selection Menu
- CUBS (Childhood Understanding Behaviors System) - Selection Menu
- PRAMS (Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System) - Selection Menu
- YRBSS-Local (Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System - Local (Traditional, Alternative, and Correctional High Schools) - Selection Menu
- YRBSS-Statewide (Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System - Statewide (Traditional and Alternative High Schools) - Selection Menu
BRFSS (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System) - Examples
Mental Health
- Anxiety - prevalence
- Cognitive impairment - prevalence
- Depression - prevalence
- Serious psychlogical distress - prevalence
CUBS (Childhood Understanding Behaviors Survey) - Examples
Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) - Examples
- Preconception Depression
- Preconception: Controling partner (emotional abuse)
- Physical abuse 12 months before pregnancy
- Physical abuse during pregnancy
- Emotional stress 12 months before delivery
- Traumatic stress 12 months before delivery
- Controlling partner (emotional abuse) during pregnancy
YRBSS (Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System) - Local Examples
- Felt Sad or Hopeless Almost Every Day For 2+ Weeks in a Row in Past Year
- Seriously Considered Attempting Suicide in Past Year
- Made a Plan About How to Attempt a Suicide in Past Year
- Actually Attempted Suicide in Past Year
- Attempted Suicide That Resulted in a Need For Medical Treatment