Improving Mental Health Can Have a Big Impact

Mental health challenges are not uncommon in the United States and globally, and perhaps mental health is currently a cultural hot topic. Anyone and everyone have or can experience some sort of emotional distress in their lives, whether it is a traffic jam, academic pressure, family disagreement, or finding the last item on sale during Black Friday shopping. However, not every mental health challenge becomes a long-term daily impairment.

American mental health services and systems have been improved over the years. In the U.S., mental health diagnoses have increased by 40%, from 2019 to 2023 (Psychiatrist.com). The spike in diagnoses can be attributed to the change in cultural attitudes, access to care, and exposure to stress. But are programs in place that prevent mental health challenges from occurring before they become a diagnosis?

Intervening early in one’s life is a public health theory that, when applied, can reduce the chances of long-lasting negative impacts. Evidence-based intervention is a relevant tool to address a challenge in health care at the population level. County Health Rankings, an online search tool developed by the University of Wisconsin, enables users to find evidence-based solutions to population health challenges in the US. Is it possible to prevent mental health diagnoses and perhaps decrease the rising rate if intervened early in the life course?

To implement these programs, professionals and researchers should not work in isolation. Including people who experience these mental health challenges should be involved as well. Coalitions should be formed to avoid segmented work. This can lead to a more powerful impact.

Public health works to protect health of populations before illness occurs, during, and after. Professionals have an ethical duty to minimize and prevent harm and therefore serve to put protective factors in place that reduce the chances of chronic disability.

Every year in the world, a trillion dollars are lost due to 12 billion missed working days that are attributed to mental health challenges (WHO). As society advances, policy makers, employers, and leadership should consider population health when making decisions health (e.g., mental health) as they design programs. There are economic, social, and systemic factors that are apparent and can influence the wellness of the US as a whole.