Promotion of mental health and prevention of mental illness are important components of all clinical services at the Women’s. Staff from diverse areas of the hospital are involved in multidisciplinary mental health research.
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Mental health is not simply the absence of mental illness, but is a state of emotional and social wellbeing in which the individual can cope with the normal stresses of life and achieve his or her potential (World Health Organisation, 1999). The determinants of mental health and mental illness include biological, psychological, social, environmental and economic factors at several levels including individual, family, community, national and global.
Mental health issues vary across the lifespan from infancy to old age, across diverse groups within the population, and are strongly linked with physical health status. Increasingly, gender has been recognized as an important determinant of mental health.
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The Centre for Women's Mental Health
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The Centre for Women's Mental Health was established to provide expert clinical and therapeutic services for women, undertake research and provide education and training.
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Our research is conducted within a population health framework that takes into account the complex influences on mental health, encourages a holistic approach to improving mental health and wellbeing, develops evidence based interventions that meet the identified needs of population groups, and spans the spectrum from prevention to recovery to relapse prevention.
Recognising mental health and mental illness are on a continuum, our research aims to improve mental health as well as reduce the prevalence and burden of mental health problems and mental illness.
Our research agenda is informed by current national and international research priorities in women's mental health, identified gaps in research, and areas of clinical activity within the Women's.
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