World Health Day: “Depression, let’s talk about it”
07.04.2017 09:28
This year's World Health Day of the World Health Organization (WHO) is dedicated to the topic of depression. An important concern is that people suffering from depression seek help and receive appropriate support. At the same time, the global activities are intended to help reduce prejudices and fears when dealing with the disease. A specialist event sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Health and organized by the Federal Association for Prevention and Health Promotion, which will take place on April 7th in Berlin, will also contribute to this.
“Around 320 million people worldwide suffer from depression. Strong and persistent stress can significantly increase the risk of illness. That's why it's important that we prevent illnesses such as depression through good prevention measures before they arise. At the same time, people with depression need to know that they are not left alone and that effective treatments and help are available. Today's specialist event makes an important contribution to better understanding and dealing with the disease depression and to reducing prejudices," explains Federal Health Minister Hermann Gröhe.
As part of the specialist event on World Health Day, experts from research and practice want to provide a differentiated picture of depression and show offers of care and other help to improve the situation of those suffering from it. Other topics will include the prevention of suicides and suicide attempts as well as the possibilities for self-help and the promotion of mental health.
The WHO currently assumes that 322 million people worldwide are affected by depression. That's more than 4.4 % of the world's population and 18 % percent more than ten years ago. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has found that an above-average exposure to chronic stress is associated with a more than double increased risk of depression. With severe chronic stress, the likelihood of depression is increased many times over. This is particularly high compared to other mental disorders.
Rapidly changing working conditions also have an impact on mental health. Company health promotion is intended to create health-oriented working relationships and expand the health skills of employees. In this way, it can be possible to reduce stress in the workplace and strengthen mental health; also extending beyond the world of work. This approach is strengthened by the Prevention Act.
Psychotherapists must offer consultation hours
Since April 1, 2017, psychotherapists have been obliged to offer psychotherapeutic consultation hours. The psychotherapeutic consultation should enable the patient to have low-threshold access to outpatient care in a timely manner. The aim here is to determine whether there is a suspicion of a mental illness and whether further professional help is necessary. This should also include advice, information, clarification of individual treatment needs, an initial diagnosis and corresponding treatment recommendations and, if necessary, a short psychotherapeutic intervention.
In order to better meet the needs of mentally ill people in medical treatment, the remuneration system for psychiatric and psychosomatic services has also been adjusted: in the future, treatments that require a lot of effort will be better compensated than those that are less complex. Special treatment teams in the home environment are also intended to ensure that people with mental suffering and need for inpatient treatment receive even better care in acute phases of illness.