Modeled estimates of the health outcomes and economic value of improving the social determinants of mental health
Abstract The prevalence and burden of mental disorders have worsened despite increased community awareness. Enhanced access to treatments alone is unlikely to deliver improvements in population mental health, so more attention needs to be paid to social and environmental influences. Here we estimate the health benefits and economic value of improving the social determinants of mental health within Brisbane South, a diverse population of 1.2 million people, in Australia. The incremental net monetary benefit (combining costs and monetized health outcomes) derived from 5% improvements in the average yearly change of social cohesion, childhood difficulties, substance misuse and unemployment over 11 years from 2024 to 2034 was projected to be AUD$146.64 million, AUD$234.50 million, AUD$281.67 million and AUD$100.43 million, respectively. Quality-adjusted life years, suicide deaths, emergency department presentations and self-harm hospitalizations were also improved. This study demonstrates the health and economic value of investing in the social determinants of mental health.
Authors
- Kim‐Huong Nguyen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2592-9372)
- Yun Ju Christine Song (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8776-6305)
- Frank Iorfino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1109-0972)
- Sophie Morson
- Victoria Loblay (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4094-9619)
- Deborah Anne Marshall (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8467-8008)
- Seyed Hossein Hosseini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0400-5613)
- Paul Crosland (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6445-7486)
- Sarah Piper (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3344-0382)
- Jo‐An Occhipinti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2380-1092)
- Kristen Tran (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3544-1696)
- Ian Bernard Hickie (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8832-9895)
- Adam Skinner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9823-1506)
- Judith Piccone
- Sebastian Rosenberg (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3374-8694)
- Catherine Vacher (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6923-0993)
- Olivia Iannelli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4881-2900)
- Nicholas Ho (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9843-0866)
- Jordan van Rosmalen
- Adam Connell
Institutions
- University of Technology Sydney (AU)
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- University of Canberra (AU)
- Trinity College Dublin (IE)
- Mackay Base Hospital (AU)
- Alberta Children's Hospital (CA)
- Cooperative Trials Group for Neuro-Oncology (AU)
- Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service (AU)
- Simulation Technologies (United States) (US)
- Queensland Department of Environment and Science (AU)
- Global Brain Health Institute (US)
- ACT Government (AU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Mental Health
- Published
- 2025-07-24
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-025-00459-7
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.88
Funders
- Queensland Health
- Department of Social Services, Australian Government
- National Health and Medical Research Council