Strong links exist between mental disorders and other chronic diseases, not only with respect to their causes and consequences, but also in terms of their prevention and management. This thematic paper reviews these links as well as service delivery programmes that have integrated the treatment of mental disorders with other chronic diseases. These integrated approaches improve accessibility, reduce fragmentation, prevent duplication of infrastructure and services, and better meet people’s needs and expectations.

The challenge for countries is therefore not simply to scale up existing health services, but also to transform health systems by implementing evidence-based approaches for integrated, effective, and efficient care for mental disorders and other chronic diseases.

You may also access this publication through the WHO’s website.

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This publication, “Integrating the response to mental disorders and other chronic diseases in health care systems”, will:

• Review common characteristics and links between mental, neurological, and substance use disorders and other chronic diseases;
• Highlight mutually compatible and reinforcing models of care and prevention;
• Outline key strategies for comprehensive and integrated care of chronic diseases;
• Identify key actions by different actors for overcoming critical barriers to change and redefining health systems.

This publication will be available in the first quarter of 2014. You may access its executive summary here.