Improving mental health improves the economy, according to a review of published work carried out by the University of Cape Town.
A correlation between mental ill health and poverty in low and middle-income countries has long been recognised. However, the new findings show that while improving financial status does not always result in improved mental health status, mental health interventions consistently improve economic standing.
The study found that combating mental health issues was associated with improved economic outcomes in all the analysed cases, demonstrating that scaling up mental health care not only has public health benefits but also assists economic development.
Read more at Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town