Global Mental Health Summer School 2018

Global Mental Health - Research and Action

The Centre for Global Mental Health (CGMH) presents the Global Mental Health Summer School Course 2018.

This four day course, designed and taught by members of the CGMH, will provide participants with an in depth understanding of the issues encompassed by the discipline of GMH including: the public health significance of mental health in a global context; the challenges involved in scaling up evidence-based interventions to close the 'treatment gap' and the application of epidemiological and health systems research methodologies in furtherance of the global mental health agenda. The course will also provide a fresh look at progress made towards achieving the aims of the global mental health agenda and present the findings of recent work undertaken by CGMH members.

Entry Requirements

This course is aimed at individuals with previous academic/professional experience in mental health/general health fields. The course has previously attracted a very diverse body of students from high, middle and low income countries, including but not limited to the following groups: Development scientists; Global health academics; Government policymakers; Mental health researchers; Health service planners; Public health specialists; Psychiatrists; Psychologists; Mental health nurses; Social care workers; Occupational therapists; Primary care health workers; Users of mental health services and caregivers; Mental health lawyers and advocates; and NGO policy officers and field operatives.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the course participants should be able to:

  • Describe what is meant by mental illness, and understand the broad classification of major mental disorders, its application across cultures, and challenges to measurement validity.
  • Explain the public health significance of mental illness from an international perspective, drawing on the Global Burden of Disease and World Health Reports, and the Lancet Series on Global Mental Health.
  • Discuss the application of epidemiological research methods to the study of global mental health needs and outcomes.
  • Appreciate the extent of the treatment gap, the reasons for its persistence, and current attempts to reduce it, focusing on the development of progressive mental health policy combined with evidence-based interventions and packages of care.
  • Critically evaluate the influence of cultural, socio-economic, gender and health system factors on mental illness and mental health service delivery.
  • Describe how mental health issues are related to and can be integrated with established public health priorities.