Heart Mind

REVIEW ARTICLE
Year
: 2020  |  Volume : 4  |  Issue : 3  |  Page : 59--66

Mental health challenges raised by rapid socioeconomic transformations in China: Lessons learned and prevention strategies


Yankun Sun1, Yanping Bao2, Arun Ravindran3, Yan Sun1, Jie Shi4, Lin Lu5 
1 Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
2 National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
3 Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
4 National Institute on Drug Dependence; Beijing Key Laboratory on Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing, China
5 Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital); National Institute on Drug Dependence; Beijing Key Laboratory on Drug Dependence Research; National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing, China

Correspondence Address:
Jie Shi
National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University, No. 38, Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100191
China
Prof. Lin Lu
Peking University Sixth Hospital (Institute of Mental Health), Peking University, No. 51 Huayuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100191
China

China's rapid economic development has contributed to health improvement, such as increasing life expectancy, reducing communicable diseases, and mortality rate. However, the sustainable social and economic transformations, including industrialization, urbanization, globalization, and informatization, have triggered huge challenges to population health in China, particularly to mental health. This review discussed the mental health problems due to socioeconomic changes such as population, life-style, and environment changes, as well both the economic and disease burden of mental disorders. With awareness of these challenges, the following three possible responses are proposed: identify social and economic impact on mental health based on high-quality qualitative and quantitative analysis; improve mental health awareness and literacy; and enhance mental health-care system and promote implementation research. Lessons from China can be a great reference for other low- and middle-income countries. With efforts overcoming the current and potential challenges on mental health, the Sustainable Development Goals on mental health can be possibly achieved by 2030.


How to cite this article:
Sun Y, Bao Y, Ravindran A, Sun Y, Shi J, Lu L. Mental health challenges raised by rapid socioeconomic transformations in China: Lessons learned and prevention strategies.Heart Mind 2020;4:59-66


How to cite this URL:
Sun Y, Bao Y, Ravindran A, Sun Y, Shi J, Lu L. Mental health challenges raised by rapid socioeconomic transformations in China: Lessons learned and prevention strategies. Heart Mind [serial online] 2020 [cited 2023 Jun 10 ];4:59-66
Available from: http://www.heartmindjournal.org/article.asp?issn=2468-6476;year=2020;volume=4;issue=3;spage=59;epage=66;aulast=Sun;type=0