Professor develops snapshot of mental health economic burden

From the University of Alberta website:

By Donna Richardson - (January 30, 2007)

We don’t like to talk much about mental illness, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. In fact, it is estimated that one in three Canadians will experience it during their life. The effect of mental illness on an individual's well being and the associated social and economic burden in Canada are significant.

One person who understands this burden is Dr. Philip Jacobs (left), a professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences (School of Public Health) who directed the development of a booklet called Mental Health Economic Statistics.

The booklet, jointly published by the Alberta Mental Health Board (AMHB) and the Institute of Health Economics (IHE), is small enough to fit into your pocket, yet it is chock full of information about the social and economic burden of mental health, the resources that have been committed to addressing the burden, and an assessment of how well the Canadian system performs – relative to some other countries – in effectively allocating these resources.

Egon Jonsson, Executive Director and CEO of IHE, says, "In order to improve the overall mental health system and address its needs, we must understand the prevalence of mental health problems and where mental health resources are currently being utilized."

This is the first time that comprehensive economic statistics about mental health in Canada have been compiled. According to Jacobs, "No one has presented a bird's eye view of the economic aspects of the system." Along with his team, he used numerous sources to create a snapshot of information that was scattered and some times difficult to locate.

When asked about the status of the Canadian mental health system from an economic viewpoint, Jacobs points out that, "There is no single bottom-line indicator of mental health. We can't easily summarize the state of the system as it is very complex with multiple indicators." He does note, however, that prior to compiling the Mental Health Economic Statistics, we had very little idea how much money was spent in Canada on treatment of mental illness.

"The statistics also show that our system is not very generous towards people with mental illness in terms of social supports such as the Canada Pension Plan and Workers' Compensation," states Jacobs. He also draws attention to the gaps in information on private insurance.

Copies of the booklet, available through AMHB and IHE, have been provided to policy makers across Canada, including some in the Canadian Mental Health Association, the Canadian Psychiatric Association, and relevant provincial and federal departments.

Reflecting on the value of the publication, Ray Block, President and CEO of AMHB says, "With an estimated one in three Canadians experiencing a mental health problem at some point in their life, understanding its impact on families, communities, health systems, and the economy is critical."

Jacobs hopes the information contained in the booklet will assist policy makers and planners by providing a clear picture of the current mental health system. "I'm optimistic that this tool will be helpful for developing policies and allocating resources that will reduce the impact of mental illness on Canadians," he says.

Please refer to the links below to upload an electronic copy of Mental Health Economic Statistics. For hard copies, please contact the Alberta Mental Health Board or the Institute of Health Economics.

Links:

* Alberta Mental Health Board
* Institute of Health Economics
* Mental Health Economic Statistics: In Your Pocket (PDF 973 KB)