“If you want to reduce maternal mortality, you’ve got to think about perinatal depression. If you want to increase child survival, you’ve got to think about maternal mental health. If you want to make sure people with HIV have undetectable levels of virus in their blood, you’ve got to support their mental health. These things can’t be separated. Our health cannot be dichotomized into mental and physical health,” reflected Dr. Collins.

“When you look at SDGs and issues they address, many have a relationship to mental health. We know that quality education at an early age leads to better mental health outcomes. We know that violence and conflict, gender equality and racial equality, and elimination of discrimination – all of which are mentioned in the SDGs – affect mental health outcomes. I am delighted that SDG 3 explicitly mentions the need to promote mental health and wellbeing, that it explicitly mentions reducing mortality from noncommunicable diseases, including mental disorders.”

Professor Dr. Collins, a trained psychiatrist and public health researcher, has always had a passion for mental health and a real interest in culture and cultural context. She takes a holistic view about mental health and its connection to everything.

Read the full article about Professor Dr. Pamela Collins by Tyler Lepard at Global Washington.