Evidence base for prevention
Social determinants of health have been described as the ‘most modifiable’ targets for intervention to prevent mental ill-health (140). According to the World Health Organisation, social determinants are ‘shaped by the distribution of money, power and resources at global, national and local levels, which are themselves influenced by policy choices’ (141). Therefore, addressing these determinants and building a more just society will require cross-sector action from the public sector, healthcare and industry.
Some reports give an overview of how social inequalities can be addressed to prevent mental ill-health:
- Tackling social inequalities to reduce mental health problems: How everyone can flourish equally
- Health Equity in England: The Marmot Review 10 Years On and Build Back Fairer: The COVID-19 Marmot Review
- The Rising Cost of Living: A Review of Interventions to Reduce Impacts on Health Inequalities in London
- Toolkit for addressing child health inequalities and poverty
There is a wide range of research highlighting the links between social determinants and mental ill-health. A smaller number of studies have how evaluated how interventions addressing social determinants of health (such as poverty reduction interventions) impact mental health, many of which are of poorer quality, such as cross-sectional studies or evaluations that lack control groups (142). However, the lack of high quality of research in this area should not mean that the impacts of these programmes are underestimated.
Additional resources
- The Centre for Mental Health has identified actions local authorities can take to improve mental health in their communities and summarises research on how mental health services can best support the social needs of people living with mental health difficulties
- What builds good health? An introduction to the building blocks of health
- Poverty Proofing Healthcare