Definition
According to the World Health Organization, “mental health represents a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his/her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to the community.” Mental health is not merely the absence of mental illness; mental health and mental illness represent distinct constructs. However, reflecting perceived stigmatization, mental health is commonly used rather than mental illness.
Mental illness comprises conditions affecting cognition, mood, or behavior associated with distress or impaired functioning. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) classification system separates mental illnesses into categories based on symptoms observed by a health professional or reported by the patient; these...
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References and Further Reading
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. http://www.cdc.gov/brfss/index.htm
Galea, S., Norris, F. H. (2006). Chapter 11: Public mental health surveillance and monitoring. F. H. Norris, S. Galea, M. J. Friedman, P. J. Watson Methods for disaster mental health research. New York: Guilford Press.
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Li, C., Ford, E. S., Zhao, G., Strine, T., Dhingra, S., Barker, L., et al. (2009). Association between diagnosed diabetes and psychological distress among U.S. adults: Findings from 2007 BRFSS. International Journal of Public Health, 54(Suppl. 1), S1–S119.
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Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2010). Results from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k9NSDUH/2k9Results.htm
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Reeves, W., Nater, U.M. (2020). Mental Health Surveillance. In: Gellman, M.D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-39903-0_36
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-39903-0_36
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