Main Article
Mental health in the Pacific: Urgency and opportunity
Suhailah Ali,
Owain Williams,
Odille Chang,
Rahul Shidhaye,
Ernest Hunter, Fiona Charlson,
Corresponding Author
Suhailah Ali
School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research (QCMHR), Wacol, Queensland, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorOwain Williams
School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorOdille Chang
School of Medical Sciences, Fiji National University, Suva, Fiji
Search for more papers by this authorRahul Shidhaye
Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences, Loni, India
Search for more papers by this authorFiona Charlson
School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research (QCMHR), Wacol, Queensland, Australia
Department of Global Health, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Search for more papers by this authorSuhailah Ali,
Owain Williams,
Odille Chang,
Rahul Shidhaye,
Ernest Hunter, Fiona Charlson,
Corresponding Author
Suhailah Ali
School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research (QCMHR), Wacol, Queensland, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorOwain Williams
School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorOdille Chang
School of Medical Sciences, Fiji National University, Suva, Fiji
Search for more papers by this authorRahul Shidhaye
Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences, Loni, India
Search for more papers by this authorFiona Charlson
School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research (QCMHR), Wacol, Queensland, Australia
Department of Global Health, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
The Pacific region faces a significant and growing burden of noncommunicable diseases and mental disorders. An emerging issue is the increasing overlap between physical and mental health conditions, which are often the result of interactive effects and lead to more severe consequences. In addition, climate change is amplifying health risks, as it poses both physical and existential threats to Pacific Island communities. The sustainable development agenda provides a holistic opportunity to address these issues; key elements include improving health surveillance and strengthening health systems, within a multisectoral approach, in order to work towards achieving Healthy Islands.
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