The APEC Digital Hub-WONCA Collaborative Framework on Integration of Mental Health into Primary Care in the Asia Pacific.



Dowrick, Chris, Kassai, Ryuki ORCID: 0000-0002-3541-6685, Lam, Cindy LK ORCID: 0000-0001-7536-8481, Lam, Raymond W ORCID: 0000-0001-7142-4669, Manning, Garth ORCID: 0000-0001-7709-6758, Murphy, Jill, Ng, Chee H ORCID: 0000-0002-3811-2732 and Thuraisingham, Chandramani ORCID: 0000-0002-4512-4045
(2020) The APEC Digital Hub-WONCA Collaborative Framework on Integration of Mental Health into Primary Care in the Asia Pacific. Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare, 13. pp. 1693-1704.

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Abstract

Mental ill health affects individual well-being and national economic prosperity and makes up a substantial portion of the burden of disease globally, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. Integrating mental health into primary care is widely considered a key strategy to improve access to mental health care. Integration, however, is a complex process that needs to be addressed at multiple levels. A collaboration between the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Digital Hub for Mental Health and the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) is described in this paper, which outlines a framework and next steps to improve the mental health of communities in APEC economies. This paper notes gaps related to the integration of mental health into primary care across the region and identifies enablers and current best practices from several APEC economies. The potential of digital technology to benefit primary mental health care for populations in the APEC region, including delivery of training programs for healthcare staff and access to resources for patients, is described. Finally, key next steps are proposed to promote enhanced integration into primary care and improve mental health care throughout the APEC region.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Asia Pacific, digital, mental health, primary care
Divisions: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Population Health
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 13 May 2021 14:57
Last Modified: 18 Jan 2023 22:47
DOI: 10.2147/jmdh.s271070
Open Access URL: https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S271070
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3122588