title: Measuring mental health in a cost-effective manner.
abstract: Mental health has been found to contribute significantly to the global burden of disease. This has raised the profile of mental health in developing countries. Many countries still do not have mental health policies, nor do they incorporate mental health in their primary care package. Community mental health profiles are needed to inform policy. There is a demand for more studies of mental health and the inclusion of mental health measures in more general, comprehensive, population-based health surveys. This article reviews the use and performance of a World Health Organization-endorsed instrument known as the Self-Reporting Questionnaire 20 items (SRQ20). The paper concludes that the high face and criterion validity, ease of use and suitability for administration by lay workers support the use of the SRQ20 as a cost-effective instrument with which to measure community mental health.
authors.affiliation: South Bank University, London, UK. t.harpham@sbu.ac.uk
authors.forename: Trudy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Harpham
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reichenheim
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oser
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Narmeen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.forename: Surinder
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jaswal
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ludermir
authors.forename: Magna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aidoo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014944:World Health Organization