Mental illness can affect anyone. It is an important cause of disability worldwide. However the pathways to receiving adequate and humane mental health care vary within countries and between countries. This mental health inequity is a challenge to be explored and overcome in order to attain better health for all nations. Participating in this course is a step towards overcoming this global challenge.
The 5-week course begins with an introduction to fundamental concepts related to mental health and illness and presents evidence for global mental health inequity. The course will consider how factors such as stigma, violations of human rights, culture, spirituality, partnerships and technology may affect the pathways to mental health care. We will also consider the effects of globalisation on mental illness and mental health care. The course concludes by looking at the opportunities we have in the 21st century to prioritise and improve mental health from a local and global perspective.