In recent years, the social determinants of health have gained an important place in the policy decisions driving community health. Public health leaders are recognizing the importance of direct and indirect socio-contributors to health like the impact of air quality on pediatric asthma, teen birth rates on infant mortality, and immunizations on community-acquired pneumonia. This focus on social determinants is having a meaningful impact on public health, but with mental illness at crisis levels, we must now broaden our focus to also include key behavioral determinants as well. Mental illness has grown more prevalent than cancer, heart disease and diabetes in American communities. With an expanded focus on social-behavioral determinants, however, we can create deeper, more meaningful engagement with targeted populations at the highest risk for mental illness.

Prevention is the Best Mental Health Medicine

Primary prevention for mental illness is an especially powerful approach to community wellness because it can be more affordable and widely available than traditional health care. Preventative care can be offered in pre-existing facilities such as schools, homes and community centers, all of which can benefit from a wide range of funding sources. Adding a focus on primary prevention for mental illness is a broad-focused tactic that can help bring communities into a proactive mindset. This approach can also promote social engagement with resources that are already in place.

Nurturing Stronger Protective Factors

We are all exposed to a mix of risk and protective factors that affect our response to behavioral health determinants. Both risk and protective factors draw on a mix of biological and psychological makeup, and while some factors (like genetics) are more-or-less set for life, others (like income level) can evolve. Cultivating variable protective factors is another broad approach to community health that can improve wellness regardless of location, economics and health care access. By promoting protective factors like community inclusion, positive self-image, healthy relationships and responsible substance use, citizens in your community can be better equipped to face challenges in life and avoid chain reactions leading to poor health.

Improving Mental Health Starts with Culture

While mental health awareness has improved vastly in recent decades, access to good care is still largely determined by demographics. According to 2017 census data, over 10% of black respondents and 16% of Hispanics had no health insurance compared with 6.3% of non-Hispanic whites. This lack of health care options grows even larger when focusing specifically on mental health. Minority adults are far more likely to wait until symptoms are severe before seeking mental health care, and many never seek care. Actively promoting cultures in which mental health is destigmatized can, therefore, be a powerful tool in the promotion of broader public health. In 2016, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommended a national push to destigmatize mental illness, including grassroots education and peer-to-peer support services.

Finding Strength in Faith

Religion and spirituality can also contribute to a holistic framework to improve behavioral health at the community level. According to multiple recent studies, those regularly engaged in spiritual activities, such as attending services and community activities, are significantly less likely to suffer from alcohol abuse, depression and suicidal thoughts. Participating in spiritual activity can help individuals form strong social bonds with a community and provide routines that are beneficial to a healthy lifestyle.

Tech Offers Powerful Mental Health Solutions

While improved culture, stronger protective factors and better preventative care can improve mental health and wellbeing, these approaches can take a lot of time to implement on a community level. As an alternative, your community can leverage technology, such as social media, video conferencing and online libraries to improve population health. These tools can help increase awareness, promote education, improve culture, and enable individuals to build stronger protective factors. By introducing the option of self-care via technology, individuals in your community can engage with mental health services on their own terms.

Take a Broader View for Broader Community Health

Understanding social determinants is a critical first step towards improved community wellness, but it’s only a first step. For deeper, lasting results, it’s important to bring a wider focus that blends behavioral determinants into your community’s health services. For more information about population-based mental health and how it can play a part in your community’s health plan, please contact us.