The nation’s mental health has been in decline for years, worsened by the pandemic, and public awareness of mental health and mental illness is increasing while stigma is decreasing, but not entirely gone. However, the focus of public and political debate has been on individual experiences and mental health services rather than the social and economic determinants of mental health, including the profound inequalities and injustices behind them.
A study by Vanessa Pinfold and colleagues (2023) aimed to address this gap by speaking with people who have experienced structural mental health inequality and building narratives and insights based on their reflections, using photography and peer research to co-produce knowledge.
Methods: The authors employed a qualitative study using peer methods, allowing individuals affected by the issues being researched to direct and conduct the study, aiming to eliminate power imbalances in the research process. They interviewed 30 people from two London boroughs, analyzing the results to draw out key themes and insights.
Results: The study identified three key themes from the interviews. Firstly, social and economic inequalities were found to be unjust and to contribute to poor mental health. Secondly, these inequalities have far-reaching mental health consequences. Lastly, the study recognized the need for action on multiple levels to address these inequalities effectively.
Conclusions: The study concluded that small-scale, incremental change will not be enough and that wider social and economic change is needed to improve population mental health. The authors also highlighted the need for a wider range of communication methods and forms of content creation for research dissemination.
Implications for Practice: Mental health services can either reinforce or mitigate the inequalities and injustices that cause people distress, and the study’s findings emphasize the importance of addressing these issues in practice.
