Title Impact of economic crises on mental health care: A systematic review
Authors Silva M. , RESURRECCIÓN MENA, DAVINIA MARÍA, Antunes A. , Frasquilho D. , Cardoso G.
External publication No
Means EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRIC SCIENCES
Scope Article
Nature Científica
JCR Quartile 1
SJR Quartile 1
JCR Impact 6.892
SJR Impact 1.718
Web https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85056666597&doi=10.1017%2fS2045796018000641&partnerID=40&md5=8fd99f3582d90cb9c8cc235a0a933852
Publication date 01/01/2020
ISI 000585061200007
Scopus Id 2-s2.0-85056666597
DOI 10.1017/S2045796018000641
Abstract AimsUnmet needs for mental health treatment are large and widespread, and periods of economic crisis may increase the need for care and the treatment gap, with serious consequences for individuals and society. The aim of this systematic review was to summarise the empirical evidence on the association between periods of economic crisis and the use of mental health care.MethodsFollowing the PRISMA statement, MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Open Grey and Cochrane Database were searched for relevant publications, published between 1990 and 2018, from inception to June 2018. Search terms included (1) economic crisis, (2) use of mental health services and (3) mental health problems. Study selection, data extraction and the assessment of study quality were performed in duplicate.ResultsSeventeen studies from different countries met the inclusion criteria. The results from the included articles suggest that periods of economic crisis might be linked to an increase of general help sought for mental health problems, with conflicting results regarding the changes in the use of specialised psychiatric care. The evidence on the use of mental health care specifically due to suicide behaviour is mixed. The results also suggest that economic crises might be associated with a higher use of prescription drugs and an increase in hospital admissions for mental disorders.ConclusionsResearch on the impact of economic crises on the use of mental health care is scarce, and methodologies of the included papers are prone to substantial bias. More empirical and long-term studies on this topic are needed, in order to adapt mental health care systems to the specific needs of the population in times of economic crisis. © Cambridge University Press 2018.
Keywords Economic crisis; mental health care; systematic review; use of service
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