The burden of mental disorders, neurological, substance use and suicide: report on mental health priorities in Argentina

Abstract

The objective of this study is to provide an estimate of the burden of disease related to mental health in Argentina, in order to provide elements for the rational prioritization of resource allocation and the development of services. Based on the estimations made by the Study of the Global Burden of Disease (1) we add an analysis of the load product of: a) self-injuries and suicide; b) common neurological disorders with severe psychological and behavioral manifestations; c) somatic consequences of alcohol use disorder; and iv) an estimate of the disorder by somatic symptoms with prominent pain. The burden of disease caused by mental, neurological, substance use and suicide disorders (MNSS) is approximately one fifth of the years of life adjusted for disability (DALYs) and more than a third of the years lived with disability (ADLs) total, resulting in the most disabling subgroup of all non- ommunicable diseases (NCDs), and far exceeding the combined group of infectious and maternal-child diseases, and the group of non-self-inflicted accidents and injuries. The analysis of DALYs by age and sex allows a hierarchy of the disorders that should guide the development of services for MNSS disorders, their integration in primary care, and the allocation of resources. The first level of care is the only one with a relatively homogeneous presence throughout the country, being the only one capable of effectively increasing coverage and reducing inequality. The strengthening of the first level of care can be achieved through training in mental health of non-specialized personnel and the use of computer and communication technology resources to counteract regional inequities in coverage. Such strategic vision will allow to diminish: the excessive expenses in specialized resources, which by definition are more expensive and intervene only when the pathology exceeded a certain threshold; and the indirect costs caused by the loss of labor productivity. Fundamentally, it will allow increasing coverage and reversing regional and socioeconomic inequality in the quality of mental health care in a country rich in professional resources.