Mental Health Research Funding Research Articles

Prevention of suicides associated with global warming: perspectives from early career psychiatrists.

Climate change poses significant challenges to global mental health, with potential consequences including increased rates of suicide and mental health disorders. Early Career Psychiatrists (ECPs) play a crucial role in addressing these challenges. The Climate Psychiatry Alliance, a group of psychiatrists dedicated to improving mental health amidst climate change, recognizes the importance of cultivating climate-aware ECPs. Training ECPs to become confident climate-aware clinicians enables them to effectively treat patients experiencing anxiety, depression, and PTSD in the context of climate-related distress. Together with other mental health professionals, ECPs can contribute to efforts by implementing strategies for monitoring and treating mental health problems arising from climate events. Additionally, they can raise awareness about the psychological consequences and risks of suicide associated with climate change. Collaboration among ECPs from various regions is essential in developing community-based approaches and reducing vulnerabilities. ECPs must prioritize supporting vulnerable populations by advocating for increased funding for mental health support and research in affected areas. Long-term solutions to address the mental health impacts of climate change and global warming should be pursued to mitigate future suicidality. Integrating climate considerations into local mental health programs and expanding psychological support services is crucial. By promoting emotional resilience and self-awareness, ECPs can contribute to building a more climate-resilient and mentally healthy society.

Mortality and mental health funding—do the dollars add up? Eating disorder research funding in Australia from 2009 to 2021: a portfolio analysis

Eating Disorders (EDs) are among the deadliest of the mental disorders and carry a sizeable public health burden, however their research and treatment is consistently underfunded, contributing to protracted illness and ongoing paucity of treatment innovation. We compare absolute levels and growth rates of Australian mental health research funding by illness group for the years 2009-2021, with a specific focus on eating disorders analysed at the portfolio level. Actual and adjusted data obtained from Australia's three national medical research funding bodies (NHMRC, ARC and MRFF) shows eating disorders receive a disproportionately low allocation of mental health research funding despite having amongst the highest mortality rates. Forty-one category one research grants totalling $AUD28.1 million were funded for eating disorders over the period. When adjusted for inflation, this equates to $2.05 per affected individual, compared with $19.56 for depression, $32.11 for autism, and $176.19 for schizophrenia. Half of all research funded for eating disorders was 'basic' research (e.g., illness underpinning), with little investment in the development of innovative treatment models, novel therapeutics or translation, well reflected by recovery rates of less than 50% in individuals with Anorexia Nervosa. Significant discrepancy remains between research funding dollars and disease burden associated with the mental health disorders. The extent to which eating disorders are underfunded may in part be attributable to inaccuracies in epidemiological and burden of disease data. This work was in-part funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and the National Eating Disorder Research & Translation Strategy. The funder was not directly involved in informing the development of the current study.

Suggestions for Canada’s Opioid Use Disorder Management Guidelines

1Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada 2Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada Corresponding Author: Robert A. Kleinman, MD, 100 Stokes Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, ON, Canada, M6J 1H4. Tel: 416-535-8501; fax: 416-595-6821. E-mail: [email protected] Dr. R.A.K. has received research funding through the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Discovery Fund and research funding and training support through the Research in Addiction Medicine Scholars Program, R25DAO33211 (NIDA) and travel awards from the American Psychiatric Association and American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry. Dr R.A.K. has been invited to take part in the review of the upcoming CRISM National Guideline for Clinical Management of OUD when they become available in 2023 as part of the panel of reviewers from Ontario but has not had any further involvement in the review or other aspects of the project.

Editorial introductions.

Editorial introductions.

Burnout amongst radiologists: A bibliometric study from 1993 to 2020.

BACKGROUNDBurnout amongst radiologists is common in many different institutions and is increasing day by day. To battle burnout, we have to address the root causes already recognized in published literature. Therefore, it is crucial to examine and discern important publications. AIMTo provide evidence-based data and trends related to burnout in radiologists so that researchers can work on it further and develop preventive strategies to overcome this problem.METHODSBibliometric analysis conducted by two independent reviewers separately used Scopus Library for data extraction by using medical subject heading and International Classification of Diseases keywords. Forty-nine articles were selected for analysis after an extensive scrutiny. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20 was used for analysis. Pearson correlation coefficient, Kruskal Wallis test, and Mann-Whitney U test were applied.RESULTSThe most productive period with regards to the number of publications was between 2017 and 2019. A total of 160 authors contributed to the topic burnout among radiologists, with an average of 3.26 authors per paper. About 41.68% of the authors were female, whilst 35% of them were first authors. The co-citation analysis by author involved 188 cited authors, 13 of whom were cited at least 70 times. Only six out of forty-nine studies were funded by various government institutions and non-governmental organizations.CONCLUSIONCurrent analysis casts a spotlight on important trends being witnessed in regard to the mental health of radiologists, including lack of funding for mental health research, narrowing of female vs male citation gap, as well as authorship and citation trends.

You Can’t Manage What You Do Not Measure - Why Adolescent Mental Health Monitoring Matters

Despite growing awareness of mental health conditions in recent years, funding for mental health science has not increased. The 2020 International Alliance of Mental Health Research Funders report “The Inequities of Mental Health Research Funding” [1] reveals some stark inequalities and highlights issues with resource allocation. Although the global cost of mental health conditions is projected to exceed $6 trillion by 2030 [2], global investments in mental health research have remained approximately $3.7 billion per year in real terms between 2015 and 2019, equating to roughly 50 cents per person per year.

Knowledge translation research: Teaching psychopharmacology using research domain criteria

IntroductionResearch Domain Criteria are coming to be required for applications for mental health research funding in the United States.ObjectivesTo translate contemporary neuroscience research into teaching medical residents how to prescribe psychiatric medications.MethodsWe explore the neuroscience literature regarding neural circuitry and psychiatric symptoms and examine the neurotransmitters associated with those circuits. We associate psychiatric symptoms with the neural circuitry that produces those symptoms. We correlate medications with circuits which they might affect and symptoms they might ameliorate.ResultsRDC is an alternative to DSM and ICD-10. Contemporary scientific diagnoses are not based on neuroscience. They are overlapping, contradictory, often vague, and hinder adequate research. Diagnoses are needed that are based on brain circuitry and function rather than ”expert” opinion. The basis for RDC lies in psychiatric disorders being brain disorders with a primary focus on circuitry function. This contrasts with neurological disorders that have identifiable structural lesions. Symptoms are normally distributed and exist in everyone. RDC proposes to seek the distribution of traits and characteristics, defining abnormal as the extremes of these distributions rather than by defining mental disorders by signs and symptoms which give a diagnosis. We ask what are the brain system that primarily implements the traits, functions, and characteristics of interest. We explore what accounts for the development of dysregulation or dysfunction in these systems alongside normal-to-abnormal dimensions? We describe resident reactions to this style of teaching and show greater comfort in prescribing medications.ConclusionsTranslating Research Domain Criteria into psychiatric prescribing will move psychopharmacology into contemporary neuroscience.

Lessons from a theory of change-driven evaluation of a global mental health funding portfolio

BackgroundGiven the underinvestment in global mental health to-date, it is important to consider how best to maximize the impact of existing investments. Theory of Change (ToC) is increasingly attracting the interest of funders seeking to evaluate their own impact. This is one of four papers investigating Grand Challenges Canada’s (GCC’s) first global mental health research funding portfolio (2012–2016) using a ToC-driven approach.MethodsA portfolio-level ToC map was developed through a collaborative process involving GCC grantees and other key stakeholders. Proposed ToC indicators were harmonised with GCC’s pre-existing Results-based Management and Accountability Framework to produce a “Core Metrics Framework” of 23 indicators linked to 17 outcomes of the ToC map. For each indicator relevant to their project, the grantee was asked to set a target prior to the start of implementation, then report results at six-month intervals. We used the latest available dataset from all 56 projects in GCC’s global mental health funding portfolio to produce a descriptive analysis of projects’ characteristics and outcomes related to delivery.Results12,999 people were trained to provide services, the majority of whom were lay or other non-specialist health workers. Most projects exceeded their training targets for capacity-building, except for those training lay health workers. Of the 321,933 people screened by GCC-funded projects, 162,915 received treatment. Most projects focused on more than one disorder and exceeded all their targets for screening, diagnosis and treatment. Fewer people than intended were screened for common mental disorders and epilepsy (60% and 54%, respectively), but many more were diagnosed and treated than originally proposed (148% and 174%, respectively). In contrast, the three projects that focused on perinatal depression exceeded screening and diagnosis targets, but only treated 43% of their intended target.ConclusionsUnder- or over-achievement of targets may reflect operational challenges such as high staff turnover, or challenges in setting appropriate targets, for example due to insufficient epidemiological evidence. Differences in delivery outcomes when disaggregated by disorder suggest that these challenges are not universal. We caution implementers, funders and evaluators from taking a one-size-fits all approach and make several recommendations for how to facilitate more in-depth, multi-method evaluation of impact using portfolio-level ToC.

Editorial introductions.

Editorial introductions.

Mental health research funding: too little, too inequitable, too skewed

Mental health research funding: too little, too inequitable, too skewed

Special Report: America’s First Asylum for African Americans Marks 150th Anniversary

<i>Special Report:</i> America’s First Asylum for African Americans Marks 150th Anniversary

Editorial introductions

Editorial introductions

How much is spent on mental health research: developing a system for categorising grant funding in the UK

Knowing how much money is invested in funding mental health research, and in which areas, is essential to inform strategy and track trends to achieve the best allocation of limited resources. However, no comprehensive categorisation system for mental health research is available and, therefore, national and international data on mental health research funding are minimal and not comparable. In this Health Policy paper, we consider the complexities involved in generating such data and propose an approach to classify mental health research grants. We then describe a method using search terms and algorithms for automatic identification and categorisation of mental health research grants listed in a major international database (Dimensions, Digital Science). The automated approach was validated using manually categorised grants data from funders based in the UK, which showed that the accuracy of this approach is satisfactory and comparable to manual classification. Finally, we consider areas of research that are difficult to classify, and how the automated approach can be refined using machine-learning. We argue that agreed definitions and automated approaches could facilitate collaborative reporting of mental health research funders nationally and internationally and improve the strategic dialogue in this area of research.

European mental health research resources: Picture and recommendations of the ROAMER project

As part of the Roamer project, we sought to have a picture of the available mental health research (MHR) funding, capacity-building and infrastructures resources and to establish consensus-based recommendations that would allow an increase of European MHR resources and enable better use and accessibility to them. The methods fell into three sections (i) a review of the literature, (ii) a mental health-related keywords search within the Cordis®, On-Course® and Meril® databases which contain information on European research funding, training and infrastructures. These reviews provided an overview that was presented to (iii) two experts workshops with 28 participants drawn from academic which identified gaps and produced recommendations. The literature review illustrates the debates in the scientific community on funding, training and infrastructures. The database searches estimated the fraction of health research resources available for mental health. Eight overarching goals for MHR resources were identified by the workshops; each of them was carried out with several practical recommendations. Resources for MHR are scarce considering the burden of mental disorders, the high rate of return of MHR and the under-investment of the field. The recommendations are urgently warranted to increase resources and their optimal access and use.

Advocates pleased with funding for mental health research, program support

Mental health advocates are pleased with the investments made in the Defense, Labor, and Health and Human Services (HHS) legislation by bipartisan lawmakers that increased or level‐funded mental health research, services and supports for consumers with mental illness. President Trump signed the spending bill into law on Sept. 28, staving off a partial shutdown of the government, at least until December.

APAPAC Plays Key Role Advancing Psychiatry During Elections

Back to table of contents Next article Association NewsFull AccessAPAPAC Plays Key Role Advancing Psychiatry During ElectionsLinda M. RichmondLinda M. RichmondSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:5 Sep 2018https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2018.9a21AbstractThe APA political action committee (APAPAC) raises funds from members to support those running for federal office who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing psychiatry.With so many congressional seats up for grabs this November, APA’s political action committee (APAPAC) is working behind the scenes to shape the outcomes in a number of critical federal races. There are 35 U.S. Senate and 435 House seats up for reelection, with as many as 55 of them considered toss-ups that could be won by either candidate. What role does APAPAC play? Put simply, it seeks out viable candidates who are supportive of psychiatry, cultivates relationships with them, and helps them get elected to federal office. The goal is to build champions for psychiatry in Congress. Some of the issues APAPAC works to advance include improving patient access to psychiatrists, fighting for funding for mental health programs and research, and treating the opioid epidemic. Another major concern is ramping up the psychiatry workforce by securing more residencies for medical students. “We provide support to candidates who are pro mental health and who are interested in championing our issues: promoting access to high-quality, evidence-based psychiatric care and in promoting psychiatry overall,” said child and adolescent psychiatrist Debra Koss, M.D., a member of APA’s Council on Advocacy and Government Relations and APAPAC consultant. Koss said that through her work with APAPAC, she has been able to share anecdotes of her clinical experiences and patients’ attempts to access care with lawmakers. “These are much more compelling to lawmakers than mere statistics,” Koss added. “Historically, psychiatry is near the bottom of the pack of physician specialties in terms of money raised to support candidates, but that is gradually changing as APA members recognize its importance,” said APAPAC Director Ashley Mild. “We are gaining strength. With nearly $485,000 raised from members so far through August 1, we’re on track to exceed our 2016 election cycle fundraising numbers.” With the midterm elections just around the corner, the future of mental health policy may hang in the balance. APAPAC has contributed to 111 congressional races so far in the 2017-2018 election cycle.Mental health issues are bipartisan, so APAPAC supports legislators on both sides of the aisle. “We may not agree with the legislators’ opinions on every single topic, but when we advocate through the PAC, our focus is on mental health, and on those issues, we align,” Koss explained.Helping to overcome the stigma against psychiatry and mental illness is another role of APAPAC. “People have the idea that treatment doesn’t work. They see homeless people on the street or read a headline about a tragic shooting,” said APAPAC Chair R. Scott Benson, M.D., a child and adolescent psychiatrist in Pensacola, Fla. Benson noted that many patients he sees respond to treatment and go on to live healthy lives.APAPAC aims to educate lawmakers on the realities of mental illness and the importance of providing resources to care. The group also works with legislators to block legislation that would be detrimental for psychiatrists and their patients, Benson said. For instance, whenever a mass shooting happens, a lawmaker floats the idea of creating a mass database of every psychiatric patient—to track them or make sure they don’t own guns. “That would be an invasion of privacy,” he said. “The people making these decisions are not necessarily psychiatrists, so we need that voice in the legislative process.”Koss, who has spent more than a decade working in political advocacy for mental health, explained what keeps her involved: “I realized it’s a way to have a direct impact on legislation that affects our patients and affects our profession. There are many special interest groups out there meeting with legislators, trying to sway their thinking on issues. That’s why it’s imperative that we as psychiatrists remain committed to the process of advocacy and on building relationships with our lawmakers. At the same time, it’s important that we contribute to the APAPAC.”Benson echoed that sentiment. “We as citizens and psychiatrists have to recognize that much as we dislike it, elections run on money.” ■Members can make contributions to the APAPAC here. ISSUES NewArchived

NIMH Director Describes What’s Next for Institute

NIMH Director Describes What’s Next for Institute

National funding for mental health research in Finland, France, Spain and the United Kingdom

As part of the Roamer project, we aimed at revealing the share of health research budgets dedicated to mental health, as well as on the amounts allocated to such research for four European countries. Finland, France, Spain and the United Kingdom national public and non-profit funding allocated to mental health research in 2011 were investigated using, when possible, bottom-up approaches. Specifics of the data collection varied from country to country. The total amount of public and private not for profit mental health research funding for Finland, France, Spain and the UK was €10·2, €84·8, €16·8, and €127·6 million, respectively. Charities accounted for a quarter of the funding in the UK and less than six per cent elsewhere. The share of health research dedicated to mental health ranged from 4·0% in the UK to 9·7% in Finland. When compared to the DALY attributable to mental disorders, Spain, France, Finland, and the UK invested respectively €12·5, €31·2, €39·5, and €48·7 per DALY. Among these European countries, there is an important gap between the level of mental health research funding and the economic and epidemiologic burden of mental disorders.

Incoming NIMH Director Sees Shared Mission Between APA, Institute

Incoming NIMH Director Sees Shared Mission Between APA, Institute

Using Liberating Structures to Increase Engagement in Identifying Priorities for the APNA Research Council.

In 2015, the Co-Chairs and Steering Committee of the Research Council members recognized the need to reevaluate the council's priorities. To determine the top priorities for the Research Council. Use of liberating structures: Impromptu Speed Networking, 1-2-4-all, and Crowd Sourcing. Identified Research Council priorities included the following: efforts to increase psychiatric mental health (PMH) research funding; serve as a connector to bring researchers together; foster research through state chapters; increase collaboration between PhDs and DNPs; and develop models for organizational support for PMH staff nurse involvement in research. The liberating structures used are valuable strategies for engaging groups of people to identify what matters most to the group. Through the use of these novel techniques, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association Research Council has identified priorities for the work of the council. This has led to actions planned for the coming future with the intent to move PMH nursing research forward.