Can we better understand severe mental illness through the lens of Syndemics?

Current health care systems do not sufficiently address contributors, also known as modifiable behavior factors, to severe mental illnesses (SMI). Instead treatment is focused on decreasing symptom-experience rather than reducing the detrimental effect of biological predisposition and behavioral inf...

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Main Authors: Silke Vereeken, Emily Peckham, Simon Gilbody
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1092964/full
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author Silke Vereeken
Emily Peckham
Simon Gilbody
Simon Gilbody
author_facet Silke Vereeken
Emily Peckham
Simon Gilbody
Simon Gilbody
author_sort Silke Vereeken
collection DOAJ
description Current health care systems do not sufficiently address contributors, also known as modifiable behavior factors, to severe mental illnesses (SMI). Instead treatment is focused on decreasing symptom-experience rather than reducing the detrimental effect of biological predisposition and behavioral influences on illness. Health care services and patients alike call for a more comprehensive, individual approach to mental health care, especially for people with SMI. A Syndemics framework has been previously used to identify ecological and social contributors to an HIV epidemic in the 1990s, and the same framework is transferable to mental health research to identify the relationship between contributing factors and the outcomes of SMI. Using this approach, a holistic insight into mental illness experience could inform more effective health care strategies that lessen the burden of disease on people with SMI. In this review, the components of a Syndemic framework, the scientific contributions to the topic so far, and the possible future of mental health research under the implementation of a Syndemic framework approach are examined.
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spelling doaj.art-b956ed670bf3470c9cdff0fdd1a6db192023-01-06T18:58:43ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402023-01-011310.3389/fpsyt.2022.10929641092964Can we better understand severe mental illness through the lens of Syndemics?Silke Vereeken0Emily Peckham1Simon Gilbody2Simon Gilbody3Mental Health and Addiction, Health Sciences, University of York, York, United KingdomMental Health and Addiction, Health Sciences, University of York, York, United KingdomMental Health and Addiction, Health Sciences, University of York, York, United KingdomHull York Medical School, York, United KingdomCurrent health care systems do not sufficiently address contributors, also known as modifiable behavior factors, to severe mental illnesses (SMI). Instead treatment is focused on decreasing symptom-experience rather than reducing the detrimental effect of biological predisposition and behavioral influences on illness. Health care services and patients alike call for a more comprehensive, individual approach to mental health care, especially for people with SMI. A Syndemics framework has been previously used to identify ecological and social contributors to an HIV epidemic in the 1990s, and the same framework is transferable to mental health research to identify the relationship between contributing factors and the outcomes of SMI. Using this approach, a holistic insight into mental illness experience could inform more effective health care strategies that lessen the burden of disease on people with SMI. In this review, the components of a Syndemic framework, the scientific contributions to the topic so far, and the possible future of mental health research under the implementation of a Syndemic framework approach are examined.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1092964/fullSyndemicsSMIMDDschizophreniabipolar disorderphysical activity
spellingShingle Silke Vereeken
Emily Peckham
Simon Gilbody
Simon Gilbody
Can we better understand severe mental illness through the lens of Syndemics?
Frontiers in Psychiatry
Syndemics
SMI
MDD
schizophrenia
bipolar disorder
physical activity
title Can we better understand severe mental illness through the lens of Syndemics?
title_full Can we better understand severe mental illness through the lens of Syndemics?
title_fullStr Can we better understand severe mental illness through the lens of Syndemics?
title_full_unstemmed Can we better understand severe mental illness through the lens of Syndemics?
title_short Can we better understand severe mental illness through the lens of Syndemics?
title_sort can we better understand severe mental illness through the lens of syndemics
topic Syndemics
SMI
MDD
schizophrenia
bipolar disorder
physical activity
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1092964/full
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