Sustainable Promotion of Mental Health and Prevention of Mental Health Disorders Across the World

Around 970 million people, or one in every eight individuals globally, are living with a mental health disorder (MHD). The treatment gapTreatmentgap for MHDs is high worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countriesLow- and middle-income countries, with only 15–24% of individuals receiving appropriate care. Sustainable Development GoalSustainable Development Goal(s) (3)(SDG 3) 3 (SDG 3) seeks to guarantee healthy lives and promote mental health and well-being throughout an individual’s lifespan. This objective is also reflected in Objective 3 of the Comprehensive Mental Health Action PlanComprehensive Mental Health Action Plan (2013-2020) (2013-2030) 2013–2030, which emphasizes the need to create and execute mentalHealthpromotion healthMental healthpromotion promotionPromotion andPreventionof MHDs preventionMental healthprevention strategies. Both SDG 3 and the Action Plan have set the targetTarget year of 2030 for achieving their objectives. This chapter aims to describe various actions and measures that can promote mental health and prevent MHD worldwide during the first half of the 2015–2030 period. The impact of various factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemicCOVID-19Pandemic, warsWars, the global economyGlobaleconomy, food, humanitarian and refugee crisesRefugee crises, and climate emergencies, on mental healthProgramspromotion promotionHealthpromotion and preventionProgramsprevention initiatives is also assessed, along with the likelihood of achieving the SDG3 objective by 2030. Despite efforts to implement strategies for mental health promotion and prevention of MHDs, only a few WHO Member StatesWHOMember States are fully compliant, falling short of the global targetGlobaltarget(s) by 2030. Regular monitoring of program advancements and ensuring that they meet the requirements of individuals with MHD are critical factors in achieving global targets.