MENTAL HEALTH IN CHINA: CHALLENGES AND OPTIONS FOR THE21ST CENTURY
作者单位：Beijing Hui Long Guan Hospital
会议名称：《首届中美医学与公共卫生整合行动研讨会》
会议日期：2004年
学科分类：1002[医学-临床医学] 100205[医学-精神病与精神卫生学] 10[医学]
摘 要：正SUMMARYIn the 21st century, mental, psychological and behavioral problems will be major causes of ill health and lost productivity for China, accounting for at least one-fifth of the total burden of disease. The current mental health care system-based on expensive inpatient care provided at specialty psychiatric hospitals in urban areas-is ill-prepared to meet the coming challenges. Maintaining the psychological and behavioral health of the nation while providing high-quality care to all those who develop mental illness will require major changes in current attitudes about mental and psychological health and major reforms in the provision of mental health services. Psychological health must be seen as an integral part of overall health, and the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of mental illnesses must be viewed as the responsibility of the entire health care system and of the community, not the sole responsibility of mental health professionals. To address the growing problems of depression, substance abuse, suicide, and senile dementia, basic mental health services must be provided at all types of health institutions, community based services must be substantially expanded, and nation-wide screening and prevention campaigns must be *** and sustaining the reforms needed will not be easy. Changing attitudes requires a sustained effort by a committed group of activists, sophisticated understanding of the social and psychological factors that influence public attitudes, adequate resources and the full cooperation of the media. Changing the emphasis of mental health care from inpatient settings to outpatient and community settings and training the personnel needed to provide the new types of services requires the long-term coordinated effort of many departments and social agencies, so the active support of regional and local government leaders is absolutely essential. It will be difficult to convince all parties involved of the urgency and i