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Rauch-Kallat: Every fourth adult in the EU is afflicted with mental illness

EU Conference on “The Stigmatisation and Discrimination of Persons with a Mental Illness” in Vienna on 16 and 17 March 2006

A two-day EU expert conference on ‘Social Inclusion and Fundamental Rights in Mental Health’ begins today (Thursday) in Vienna. Experts and representatives of interest groups from the EU Member States and other countries will be joining representatives of international organisations such as WHO in discussing how to reduce the still-widespread stigmatisation and discrimination of persons with mental disorders. A further topic is how human rights can be guaranteed and social integration supported.

“At present mental illness affllicts every fourth adult in the EU”, Health Minister Maria Rauch-Kallat reported today in opening the conference organised by the Ministry of Health in conjunction with the EU Presidency. “Especially noteworthy in this regard is the particular risk to women, who suffer from depression two to three times as frequently as men. At least one out of five women experiences a clinically defined depression during her lifetime.” For this reason it is important to improve further the early detection and gender-related treatment of mental disorders. “The issue at hand is how mental illness can be better combated in the EU and how we can more effectively promote mental well-being”, stated Ms Rauch-Kallat.

The point of departure for the conference is the “Green Paper on Mental Health” adopted by the European Commission in October 2005 and bearing the title: 'Improving the Mental Health of the Population: Towards a Strategy on Mental Health for the European Union'.

The Viennese conference is an important element of this consultation process. The goal is to initiate the drafting of a strategy proposal (“White Paper on Mental Health”) by the European Commission by the end of 2006.

The European Commission's Green Paper and the World Health Organisation’s ‘Action Plan for Mental Health’ endorsed by the Health Ministers of all European countries in January 2005 document the growing acknowledgement of the importance of mental health for the overall health of the population. The Austrian Federal Ministry for Health and Women is meeting this concern not only with the present conference but also by establishing an ‘Advisory Council for Mental Health’ and by promoting relevant projects.