A new public health approach to community mental health with social determinants of health resulting from globalization to local community development in Thailand.

Abstract

Mental health problems are associated with poor mental health conditions under the influences of globalization and community. They lead to higher the costs of mental health care at individual, local and global levels. Community mental health is, hence, developed according to the World Health Organization’s policy is rooted in mental health promotion, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation, focusing on mental health promotion and prevention. It is linked into the concept of social determinants of health. In Thailand, it is known as a new approach to public health. Its details described poverty, inequality and iniquity, social exclusion and discrimination, housing and environment, and employment conditions that are related to community mental health under globalization of local community development in Thailand. People, who live in poverty, suffer from social class inequality, excluded and discriminated from their society and having limited access at mental health services. Besides, environment and housing are other factors for accessibility to mental health services as well. In addition, job condition (e.g. job task, low income etc.) dues to accumulated stress and mental health problem in community. For four decades, the processes of community mental health service have been very slow following the political situations of Thailand. Moreover, it did not “put the people at the centre of health care” so that they can participate in the process of mental health promotion at the community level.

The Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Public Health in Thailand is an important mental health office at the national level. Its mission is to adjust social determinants of health concept that is fundamental to new concept of public health development. It is a new approach of community mental health to health equity led by the World Health Organization’s policy at the local level.

This article, therefore, explains the definition of community mental health, concept of community mental health, philosophy of community mental health, mental health with globalization to local community development and a new public health approach of community mental health linked to the concept of social determinants of health resulting from globalization to local community development in Thailand.