According to the definition provided by the WHO (World Health Organization)¹, mental health is a human right and can be viewed as a state of well-being in which an individual is able to cope with the stresses of daily life, achieve their goals based on their own abilities, work productively, and contribute to the development of their community.
The European Commission recognizes that mental health impacts strategic sectors such as employment, education, research, digitalization, urban planning, culture, the environment, and climate, adopting an approach that places physical and mental health on an equal footing.
For too long, mental health has been given only marginal consideration in global health initiatives; today, psychological support is increasingly viewed as essential. However, according to estimates by the Departments of Mental Health, while 770,000 people receive care from public services in Italy, there are at least two million citizens who lack access to treatment due to the stigma surrounding psychological therapy—but above all, due to a lack of resources and staff.
But if we were to address this unmet need, what would be the social and economic impacts resulting from a course of psychological therapy?
This is suggested by a study by Triadi, conducted as part of the first edition of the project “Living Better: Promoting Access to Psychological Therapies for Anxiety and Depression,” which involved 1,000 psychologists and approximately 10,000 citizens, aged 16 and older, distributed throughout the country, who had the opportunity to access free psychological or psychotherapeutic treatments guided by protocols based on the latest scientific knowledge for the treatment of anxiety and mild to moderate depression.
The project was aimed at people who, prior to beginning therapy, had limited their participation in social and work life due to conditions such as anxiety or depression.
The objective of the study was to measure the social and economic impact of clinical efficacy (which had already been specifically evaluated by the University of Padua): the data show a comprehensive improvement in people’s quality of life (mentally, physically, relationally, and in daily activities) and a social and economic impact for the community, in terms of savings in public and private resources, with a social return on investment of 2.07.
The data suggest that social factors influencing mental health, such as socioeconomic status, can be rebalanced through timely interventions targeting the main determinants. It is therefore crucial to promote well-being in all areas of life—from work and education to the home environment—through a collaborative approach.
Triadi’s study also highlighted:
- An increase in the perceived importance of therapy (54% pre-intervention – 95% post-intervention); a significant and profound shift in perspective;
- An improvement in participants’ quality of life, as measured by standardized metrics;
- A reduction in costs for the public and private healthcare systems following therapy;
- The encouraging cost-benefit ratio (cost-effectiveness) of the intervention. The incremental cost per unit of benefit obtained (ICER of €7,201.27) was, in fact, below the so-called “willingness to pay” (the amount a person is willing to spend to obtain the same benefit), which was €23,504.55.
For further information:
Here is the editorial that Enrico Bellazzecca and Valentina Tosi, coordinators of the Triadi team that worked on the project, wrote for Fondazioni, the ACRI magazine. The text highlights the crucial role of impact assessment as a tool that can evaluate the changes produced in the social fabric by projects like “Vivere Meglio”:
“Salute mentale e valutazione d’impatto”
Here is the speech by Enrico Bellazzecca and Valentina Tosi at Milano4MentalHealth2024, an event promoted by the Municipality of Milan and dedicated to mental health (from 16’30’’):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc5COz4acZY&list=PLBejamd8RPqJJKgsfPJgkG2m_9RJ-9Jr_&index=12
Here is the speech by Enrico Bellazzecca and Gabriele Guzzetti at the conference “The Tomorrow of Psychology. Profession, Social Security, Welfare” promoted and organized by ENPAP (from: 1h):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah5uOIi8kqY
1. https://www.who.int/health-topics/mental-health#tab=tab_1
2. https://health.ec.europa.eu/non-communicable-diseases/mental-health_it