Abstract
Many studies have investigated the impact of gender on mental health, but only a few have addressed gender differences in mental health risk and prevention. We conducted a narrative review to assess the current state of knowledge on gender-specific mental health preventive interventions, along with an analysis of gender-based risk factors and available screening strategies. Out of 1598 articles screened using a comprehensive electronic search of the PubMed, Web-of-Science, Scopus, and Cochrane databases, 53 were included for review. Among risk factors for mental health problems, there are individual, familiar, social, and healthcare factors. Individual factors include childhood adversities, which show gender differences in distribution rates. However, current childhood abuse prevention programs are not gender-specific. Familiar factors for mental health problems include maternity issues and intimate partner violence, and for both, some gender-specific preventive interventions are available. Social risk factors for mental health problems are related to education, employment, discrimination, and relationships. They all display gender differences, but these differences are rarely taken into account in mental health prevention programs. Lastly, despite gender differences in mental health service use being widely known, mental health services appear to be slow in developing strategies that guarantee equal access to care for all individuals.
Highlights
Mental disorders represent the fifth most common cause of disability worldwide [1].Available treatment options do not result in a restitutio ad integrum for most mental conditions
The present literature review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of research evidence on gender-based risk factors for mental health, methodological applications for their detection, and the extent to which they have been targets for mental health prevention and early intervention strategies
Results have been grouped into four sections according to the specific types of mental health risk factors and potential preventive interventions as a function of gender/sex
Summary
Mental disorders represent the fifth most common cause of disability worldwide [1].Available treatment options do not result in a restitutio ad integrum for most mental conditions. Instead, investing efforts in mental health promotion, prevention, and early intervention may produce the best results [2]. Prevention strategies aim to intervene in the pre-pathogenesis stage to prevent such conditions from arising whenever possible (primary prevention), promote early detection, screening, prompt treatment of disease, and limitation of disability (secondary prevention), and to sustain recovery, rehabilitation, and the restoration of functioning at the later stages of the disease (tertiary prevention) [4]. Depending on the need of the individuals presenting at different stages in a continuum between mental health and disease [5], promotion and early intervention strategies aim at supporting the continuity of mental health care to achieve the best possible outcome in terms of wellbeing. Most prevention strategies so far have focused on psychosis, by applying an at-risk mental state (ARMS) concept implying the possibility to
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