Review article

Poverty and Social Exclusion of People with Mental Illnesses

Andreja Balaž Gilja orcid.org/0000-0003-4461-2001 ; Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Department of Social Work, Rijeka, Croatia

Abstract

Mental illnesses are one of the biggest public health challenges in the European region, according to prevalence, the cost of treatment and rehabilitation, and the disability they cause. The stigma associated with poverty and mental illness triggers and maintains a vicious circle of poverty and mental illness, and poverty and stigma thus increase the victimization. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to problematize some indicators of poverty and social exclusion for people with mental illnesses and mental health policy which main task is to care about the position of people with mental illnesses locally and globally. Poverty of people with mental illnesses is reflected not only through their insufficient participation in the labor market and insufficient material resources, but also through access to formal and informal sources of health and social support, where lack of support results in social exclusion. In conclusion, we wrote about the importance of mental health policy,which is recognized as a broad multi-sectoral policy that “runs” the topic of mental health quality through almost all public departments of a country.

Keywords

poverty, social exclusion, people with mental illness, mental health policy

Hrčak ID:

273060

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/273060

Publication date:

29.12.2021.

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