Social inclusion 'important for people with mental health illnesses'

15th February 2010

Social inclusion is a vital factor for helping people with mental health concerns overcome their problems, one expert has claimed.

Dr Bob Grove of the Sainsbury Centre for Medical Health said individuals with these kinds of illnesses are often overlooked for employment, as well as experiencing poorer health in general.

"Having a severe mental illness can cut your life expectancy by some 10 years," he remarked. "This is as big a public health issue as smoking or obesity."

His comments follow the release of Sir Michael Marmot's report on the causes of inequality in health matters, a review Dr Grove praised for its insight.

It is particularly important to provide better services for children, he explained, as this demographic can be prevented from securing quality paid employment when they are older if socio-economic differences are not tackled early.

Sir Michael's study noted that those from less privileged backgrounds are more likely to die sooner, as well as have a disability.