HS958-7-SP-CO:
Public Mental Health
2022/23
Health and Social Care (School of)
Colchester Campus
Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Monday 16 January 2023
Friday 24 March 2023
15
26 September 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
The international right to health requires that states and the international community ensure that everyone has access to the underlying conditions necessary to achieve the highest attainable level of physical and mental health. The mental health component of the right to health has been long neglected but this is slowly changing.
This change stems in part from the increased recognition and advocacy surrounding the mental health toll of political conflicts and humanitarian and natural disasters as well as deep-rooted gender, racial and ethnic based discrimination in societies. The ongoing impact of diverse policy measures related to the Covid-19 pandemic have once again brought mental health to the fore, pushing governments and societies to confront, if not address, the consequences of neglecting mental health policy and systems.
This module unpacks the drivers and consequences of this neglect for populations and individuals. It frames this overarching analysis of mental health policy and systems around long-standing critiques articulated on the global stage in the 2017 report of the (former) UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, which examined the "global burden of obstacles" in mental health settings and in the field of psychiatry. The obstacles explored in the different sessions include: the dominance of the individualised biomedical paradigm; the power asymmetries which impact all levels of decision-making in mental health policies and services, the neglect of the social and political determinants, and the multiple biases reflected in the production and use of evidence in mental health. Through examining how these obstacles manifest in different countries and context, students will further develop their critical assessment skills and learn how diverse frameworks can be employed to develop more inclusive, empowering mental health policy and interventions.
This Module provides students with the knowledge and tools to understand and assess the impact of the dominance of the biomedical paradigm, power asymmetries and the use of evidence on public mental health policy and services in diverse contexts. The module introduces students to contestation around the theories guiding public mental health and situates public mental health challenges within the wider determinants of health. It also introduces and explores key concepts and frameworks for appraising contemporary mental health policy and interventions including intersectionality. Finally, it engages with how to employ these analytical concepts and frameworks to critically examine cross cutting themes and issues including the role of culture and faith in framing issues of mental health and driving mental health policy.
1. Examine the historical development of key theoretical underpinnings of mental health and critically appraise their implications for advancing positive mental health and wellbeing.
2. Identify and critically describe the key theoretical foundations of public mental health promotion approaches and critically appraise their relative contributions to enhancing wellbeing .
3. Identify and critically assess how the global burden of obstacles to the promotion of mental health as a human right is reflected in different contexts and countries.
4. Critically assess the paradigms underlying priority setting in mental health research and service delivery, in a diversity of contexts, that acknowledges the significance of addressing social, cultural, political and economic determinants of mental health and wellbeing.
5. Apply key analytical frameworks to critically analyse mental health policy and systems and appraise challenges that operate at global and UK levels
6. Propose innovative approaches to public mental health policy and service provision.
Introduction to public mental health
Social determinants of mental health
Contemporary approaches to mental health promotion
Challenging the global mental health paradigm
Seminar on innovative public mental health interventions
Biomedicine, power and Mental Health
Sexuality, gender and criminalisation of mental health
Public mental health and evidence
Role of institutions and care in the community
Public mental health and the life course approach
Interactive Lectures and Debate Sessions
After the introductory session, lecture sessions will be divided into parts. The first part will involve teaching and reviewing the readings and key concepts and principles associated with the week’s topic. The second part will be interactive. Engagement with public mental health issues challenges people to examine their world view, prejudices and cultural perspective. In session 2-5 and 6-10 students will agree a debate or discussion topic (from a curated list) and engage in a semi-structured discussion on the issue. These debates will surface diverse opinions and perspectives engaging all involved in the dilemmas that mental health policy makers, mental health services providers and those with live experience of mental health service. Students will work together to find creative solutions that uphold principles of respect, rights and diversity.
Seminar on innovative public mental health approaches
People directly engaged in introducing and or running innovative mental health promotion programmes. We hope to be able to include people with lived experiences of using mental health services – and need to be able to ensure they can be supported to contribute their “expert by experience” perspective.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
3,000 word essay |
|
100% |
| Coursework |
3,000 word Essay Reassessment |
|
|
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Alexandra Kaley, email: a.kaley@essex.ac.uk.
Student Programme Administrator: Ashwini Bharambe
E: gph@essex.ac.uk
No
Yes
Yes
Prof Theodore Schrecker
Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University
Professor of Global Health Policy
Available via Moodle
Of 43 hours, 43 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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