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Mental health promotion and socio‐economic disadvantage: lessons from substance abuse, violence and crime prevention and child health
Author(s) -
Toumbourou J. W.,
Hemphill S. A.,
Tresidder J.,
Humphreys C.,
Edwards J.,
Murray D.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
health promotion journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.515
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 2201-1617
pISSN - 1036-1073
DOI - 10.1071/he07184
Subject(s) - mental health , psychological intervention , health promotion , child abuse , promotion (chess) , substance abuse , medicine , disadvantage , psychiatry , public health , domestic violence , poison control , psychology , suicide prevention , environmental health , nursing , political science , politics , law
Issue addressed Mental health promotion aimed at populations with low socio‐economic status (SES) may benefit by investigating prevention strategies that effectively address related child and adolescent problems. Methods Evidence from a number of literature reviews and program evaluations was synthesised. First, the impact of SES on development from childhood to adulthood is considered in light of research on substance abuse, violence, crime, and child development problems. Second, evaluations of interventions are reviewed to identify those that have shown outcomes in research studies (efficacy) or in real‐world settings (effectiveness) in reducing developmental problems associated with low SES. Low SES is measured in different ways including low levels of education and/or income or definitions that combine several variables into a new indicator of low SES. Results Factors associated with low SES are also associated to varying extent with the development of violence and crime, substance abuse and child health problems. Interventions that address underlying determinants of low SES show strong efficacy in decreasing adolescent crime and violence and effectiveness in improving child health outcomes. Although there is limited efficacy evidence that substance abuse prevention can be effectively addressed by targeting low SES, programs designed to improve educational pathways show some efficacy in reducing aspects of adolescent substance use. Conclusion Mental health promotion strategies can draw on the approaches outlined here that are associated with the prevention of child and adolescent problems within low SES communities. Alternatively, such interventions could be supported in mental health promotion policy as they may assist in preventing related problems that undermine mental health. So what? Child and adolescent determinants of mental illness can be targeted within low SES communities using strategies that have evidence for successfully reducing child health problems and adolescent violence and crime within low SES communities.