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Session 2: Joining Forces on Mental Health
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Chair: Simon Bell, Member of the EuroPharm Forum Professional Advisory Board, Moderator of the Working Group Mental Health
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The Central-Eastern European Health Paradox and Mental Health in the Context of Economic Crisis
(link to PowerPoint)
Imre Lazar, Semmelweis University, Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Hungary
Mr Lazar is involved in behavioural science and anthropology studies. He presented the demographic of mental illnesses and proved correlation between mental health and a number of factors, eg Gross National Product (GNP), cardiovascular diseases and unemployment. Mr Lazar informed the audience that research had shown social capital variables, eg trust and collective efficacy (neighbourhood cohesion), to be the most protective factors. Finally, Mr Lazar concluded that pharmacists could act as a resource of social support and knowledge brokers.
Antidepressant Drug Consumption Trends
(link to PowerPoint)
Gyöngyvér Soós, National Pharmaceutical Care Committee, Hungary
Prof Soós reported on the Hungarian situation with regard to antidepressant consumption and suicide rate. The increase in the use of antidepressants from 1993 to 2006 has been dramatic. In Hungary and other countries, there is a constant and large interregional variation in the quantity of antidepressant use. Prof Soós concluded that a high suicidal risk is the critical component of all suicide prevention strategies, and more attention should be given to this fact, since underdiagnosis and undertreatment still appear to be the most serious problems.
Community Pharmacy Services for People with Mental Illness
(link to PowerPoint)
Simon Bell, Kuopio Research Centre of Geriatric Care, University of Kuopio, Finland
Dr Bell highlighted three community pharmacy services for people with mental illnesses: Medication counselling, Medication review and Depression screening and described the development and content of these services. Referring to a study that showed pharmacists’ prejudice against patients with mental illnesses, Dr Bell then asked if pharmacists were ready to provide these services. He advocated that better training and improvement of communication skills would be necessary in order for pharmacists to have an impact on patients with mental health problems.
The Mental Health Programme at WHO Regional Office for Europe
(link to PowerPoint)
Anja Baumann, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Denmark
Dr Baumann briefed the audience on the WHO mental health programme and priorities: promoting mental health and well-being, including activities sensitive to vulnerable life stages; preventing mental health problems and suicide; tackling stigma and discrimination; empowering people with mental health problems, and their families; ensuring access to good primary care for mental health problems, and; offering effective care through community-based services. She invited the EuroPharm Forum to collaborate and contribute to the preparation of a joint position paper. She identified the main areas where pharmacists can contribute to improve medication adherence, help reduce stigma and empower patients and, finally, to promote mental health and healthier lifestyles.
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Welcome to the EuroPharm Forum!