New Mental Health Integration Index shows Europe falls short in putting aspirational policies into practice

BEERSE, Belgium, 8 October 2014 –Ahead of World Mental Health Day, today sees the publication of the Mental Health Integration Index, a new research initiative commissioned by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson and undertaken by the Economist Intelligence Unit.¹ The research explores the challenges of integrating Europeans with mental illness into society and employment, within the European Union’s 28 Member States, plus Norway and Switzerland. Countries have been ranked according to their degree of commitment to support those living with mental illness; the findings demonstrate that while there are many examples of good practice across Europe, the whole region has a long way to go before people with mental illness are adequately supported and truly integrated into their communities.

The most obvious indication of the shortfall in mental health care is the huge treatment gap between those who have mental illness and those who receive appropriate care. “Around 165 million people from within the European Union are affected by a mental illness at some point in any given year,” remarks Mary Baker, immediate past president of the European Brain Council. “However, only about a quarter of those people receive any treatment and about 10% had care which could be called ‘notionally adequate’.”

Research Methodology and Findings

The Mental Health Integration Index is based on a list of indicators including the environment for those with mental illness, their access to medical help and services, their opportunities – specifically job-related - and the governance of the system, including human rights issues and efforts to combat stigma. The indicators were developed in consultation with a panel of independent experts on mental health which included leaders of pan-European healthcare professional, patient, carer and research organisations (see Editor's Notes below for a full list).

Key findings of the research are that Germany's strong healthcare system and generous social provision put it at the top of the Index, with the UK and Scandinavian states not far behind. However, examples of best practice in integration are not limited to the leading countries and the researchers conclude that progress is still necessary for all European countries.

Recommendations

The White Paper highlights five areas on which many European countries need to focus in order to improve the integration of people living with mental illness into society:

• Obtaining better data in all areas of medical and service provision and outcomes
• Backing up mental health policies with appropriate funding
• Finishing the now decades-old task of deinstitutionalisation (the transition from hospital-based care to community-centred support)
• Focusing on the hard task of providing integrated, community-based services
• Including integrated employment services provision

Looking Ahead

“This research highlights examples of excellence in mental health care provision as well as areas of deficiency which need to be addressed,” said Jane Griffiths, Company Group Chairman, Janssen Europe, Middle East and Africa. “It is our hope that this research will enable informed discussion, closer collaboration and action among all decision makers involved in the integration of those with mental illness, which will in turn accelerate positive outcomes for the people living with these conditions.”

“Janssen is committed to promoting the best quality of mental health care and recognises the importance of integration as a key element in the recovery of people with mental illness,” she added.

Further research will be released later in the year which explores several country situations in more detail, highlighting areas of need as well as reporting on best practices.

To explore the results of the Index and read the findings of the associated White Paper in full, visit the interactive microsite at: www.mentalhealthintegration.com

Notes to editor

Country rankings

The EIU’s Mental Health Integration Index measures the degree of support within European governments for integrating people with mental illnesses into society. It compares levels of such support in 30 European countries – the EU-28 plus Norway and Switzerland.

The Mental Health Integration Index Expert Panel
Professor Peter Huxley, UK
Professor of Mental Health Research, Bangor University, Wales
Kevin Jones, Ireland
Secretary General of the European Federation of Associations of Families of People with Mental Illness (EUFAMI)
Pedro Montellano, Portugal
President, Global Alliance of Mental Illness Advocacy Networks-Europe (GAMIAN Europe)
Dr Slawomir Murawiec, Poland
Co-organiser of the last European Mental Health Systems Network conference for EHMA
Stephanie Saenger, Netherlands
President, Council of Occupational Therapists for the European Countries

About Janssen Pharmaceutica NV

Janssen and its worldwide group of pharmaceutical companies are dedicated to addressing and solving the most important unmet medical needs of our time, including neuroscience (e.g. schizophrenia, dementia and pain), oncology (e.g. multiple myeloma and prostate cancer), immunology (e.g. psoriasis), infectious disease (e.g. HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C and tuberculosis), and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (e.g. diabetes). Driven by our commitment to patients, we develop sustainable, integrated healthcare solutions by working side-by-side with healthcare stakeholders, based on partnerships of trust and transparency.
More information can be found at www.janssen-emea.com.

About The Economist Intelligence Unit

The Economist Intelligence Unit is the world leader in global business intelligence. It is the business-to-business arm of The Economist Group, which publishes The Economist newspaper. As the world's leading provider of country intelligence, The Economist Intelligence Unit helps executives make better business decisions by providing timely, reliable and impartial analysis on worldwide market trends and business strategies. More information about The Economist Intelligence Unit can be found at www.eiu.com or follow us on www.twitter.com/theeiu.

Contact details
Laura Dobell
Janssen
Phone: +44 (0)1494 658 151
Email: [email protected]        

Matthew Chorlton
Publicis Life Brands Resolute
Phone: +44 (0) 207 071 2098
Email: [email protected]

References

1. Economist Intelligence Unit. Mental Health and Integration. Provision for supporting people with mental illness: A comparison of 30 European countries. Available at: https://www.mentalhealthintegration.com/media/whitepaper/EIU-Janssen_Mental_Health.pdf

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