Study: to ensure accessibility of mental health care in Estonia, a single national coordinating body should be established

Study: to ensure accessibility of mental health care in Estonia, a single national coordinating body should be established
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The period of crises also greatly increases the number of mental disorders. The Estonian Mental Health Survey shows that more than a quarter of Estonian residents are at high risk of depression and a fifth are at high risk of anxiety disorders. However, the high prevalence of mental health problems contrasts with the common use of professional services in this area: only 6-8% of adult respondents have used any of the services.

Until now, the development of mental health support has been limited by the problem of the availability of services provided by specialist healthcare professionals. As a result, these services now mainly cover people whose problems are already critical. It is cheaper to prevent mental health problems than to treat them, but there is no prevention system in Estonia. Treatment pathways for people with such problems are fragmented, complicated, and under-resourced.

People's psychological well-being is ensured by a system of quality and cost-effective specialized intervention options, as well as cooperation between support systems. Of course, community-based services and self-help cannot fully replace medical, psychological, or psychiatric care, and a multi-tiered support system must be created.