Strong links exist between mental disorders and other chronic diseases, not only with respect to their causes and consequences, but also in terms of their prevention and management. This thematic paper reviews these links as well as service delivery programmes that have integrated the treatment of mental disorders with other chronic diseases. These integrated approaches improve accessibility, reduce fragmentation, prevent duplication of infrastructure and services, and better meet people’s needs and expectations. The challenge for countries is therefore not simply to scale up existing health services, but also to transform health systems by implementing evidence-based approaches for integrated, effective, and efficient care for mental disorders and other chronic diseases.
This thematic paper is a joint publication by the World Health Organization and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
