Mental Health Promotion and Prevention Strategies for Coping with Stress and Anxiety in Europe (2001-2003)

Funded by

European Commission, DG Health and Consumers

Duration

From 2001 to 2003

Summary

This project's aim was to build a European Strategy to initiate and implement actions in Member States on mental health promotion and prevention for coping with stress and anxiety. The whole life span was covered in 3 divisions: children, adolescents and young people aged up to 24, working adults from 25 to 60 and people older than 60 years.

In Mental Health Europe's sector, a network of national partners was created in 12 EU Member States (all except Denmark, Ireland and Luxembourg) and the EEA-countries Iceland and Norway. Represented in the network were partners from institutes, organisations and centres in the field of mental health with a particular interest in mental health promotion and prevention for children, adolescents and young people. Three experts were appointed with expertise in mental health promotion and prevention of mental illness, child and adolescent mental health promotion, and child and adolescent psychiatry.

Objectives

• To identify and evaluate projects and models of best practice in mental health promotion and the prevention of anxiety, depression and related disorders;
• To collect and systemise the information gathered from each of the projects.

Activities and outcomes

Activities

1) Questionnaire I (sent to all partners) which focused on outlining the broad approaches and the prevalence and burden caused by anxiety and depressive disorders.

2) Questionnaire II (sent to all partners) which focused on collecting detailed information of the projects and practices in each country.

Outcomes

1) 32 projects from a total of 14 countries were submitted.

2) Recommendations on how to improve mental health in Europe in order to increase wellbeing and to reduce high costs.

Publications and documents

Mental Health Promotion and Prevention Strategies for Coping with Stress and Anxiety

Lead organisation

University of Deusto, Spain

Partners

Mental Health Europe, Belgium

STAKES - National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health, Finland

Federal Institute for Occupational Health and Safety, Germany

Contact person

MHE Secretariat