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Economics and mental health: the current scenario
Knapp M, Wong G.. World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 2020-02-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Economics and mental health are intertwined. Apart from the accumulating evidence of the huge economic impacts of mental ill-health, and the growing recognition of the effects that economic circumstances can exert on mental health, governments and other budget-holders are putting increasing emphasis on economic data to support their decisions. Here we consider how economic evaluation (including cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-utility analysis and related techniques) can contribute evidence to inform the development of mental health policy strategies, and to identify some consequences at the treatment or care level that are of relevance to service providers and funding bodies. We provide an update and reflection on economic evidence relating to mental health using a lifespan perspective, analyzing costs and outcomes to shed light on a range of pressing issues. The past 30 years have witnessed a rapid growth in mental health economics, but major knowledge gaps remain. Across the lifespan, clearer evidence exists in the areas of perinatal depression identification-plus-treatment; risk-reduction of mental health problems in childhood and adolescence; scaling up treatment, particularly psychotherapy, for depression; community-based early intervention and employment support for psychosis; and cognitive stimulation and multicomponent carer interventions for dementia. From this discussion, we pull out the main challenges that are faced when trying to take evidence from research and translating it into policy or practice recommendations, and from there to actual implementation in terms of better treatment and care.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Knapp, M., & Wong, G. (2020). Economics and mental health: the current scenario. World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA). https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20692
Vancouver
Knapp M, Wong G. Economics and mental health: the current scenario. World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA). 2020. doi:10.1002/wps.20692. PMID: 31922693.
BibTeX
@article{knapp2020-31922693,
author = {Knapp, M. and Wong, G.},
title = {{Economics and mental health: the current scenario}},
journal = {World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA)},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1002/wps.20692},
pmid = {31922693},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20692}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Here we consider how economic evaluation (including cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-utility analysis and related techniques) can contribute evidence to inform the development of mental health policy strategies, and to identify some consequences at the treatment or care level that are of relevance to service providers and funding bodies.
- We provide an update and reflection on economic evidence relating to mental health using a lifespan perspective, analyzing costs and outcomes to shed light on a range of pressing issues.
- The past 30 years have witnessed a rapid growth in mental health economics, but major knowledge gaps remain.
- Across the lifespan, clearer evidence exists in the areas of perinatal depression identification-plus-treatment; risk-reduction of mental health problems in childhood and adolescence; scaling up treatment, particularly psychotherapy, for depression; community-based early intervention and employment support for psychosis; and cognitive stimulation and multicomponent carer interventions for dementia.
- From this discussion, we pull out the main challenges that are faced when trying to take evidence from research and translating it into policy or practice recommendations, and from there to actual implementation in terms of better treatment and care.
Why it matters
This review discusses how economic evaluation can inform mental health policy and notes that clearer evidence exists for cognitive stimulation and multicomponent carer interventions for dementia. It is about costs and policy, not about curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA)) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | World Psychiatry: journal h-index 198 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 409 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 51.1 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 6 / 6 | Cited 48.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 176 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Gloria Hoi Yan Wong: h-index 34 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Hong Kong: institution h-index 1,069 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 31922693) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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