Mental Health: Make it Your Business (Mental Health Week, May 5-11)

Expert Sources Available from CAMH for Mental Health Week, May 5-11

For Immediate Release – May 5, 2008 (TORONTO) – Research shows that 31% of the working population experience chronic work stress. Mental health issues, if left untreated can lead to other serious problems such as depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse.

Mental health and addiction problems represent an immense burden on individuals, workplaces, health-care systems and the economy. Mental health claims are the fastest growing category of disability claims and the majority of long-term disability claims have a significant mental health component.

Mental Health Week’s theme this year is "Mental Health: Make it Your Business" and focuses on the role that employers and businesses can play in making their workplace a mentally healthy and productive environment. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) actively leads clinical treatment and research in workplace mental health and has experts in these areas available for interview this week.

Dr. Carolyn Dewa, Program Head, Work and Well-being Research and Evaluation Program, CAMH and Applied Public Health Chair, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Institute of Public and Population Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada

Using a trans-disciplinary approach to research, Dr. Dewa investigates workplace mental health by examining the impact of work on people with mental illness, and the workplace's impact on mental health. She is also involved in community mental health program evaluation, and economic evaluation initiatives. One of her current studies involves the use of a pedometer to measure the effect of physical activity in alleviating stress in the workplace.

Dr. Katy Kamkar, Clinical Psychologist, Work, Stress and Health Program, CAMH

CAMH’s Work, Stress and Health Program takes an evidence-based approach to treatment, with an emphasis on education, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and pharmacological interventions. The WSH also provides workplace consultation and training in collaboration with employers regarding occupational mental health issues.

Dr. Carles Muntaner, Chair in Psychiatry and Addiction Nursing Research, CAMH and Chair of World Health Organization’s (WHO) Employment Conditions Knowledge Network. He is a social epidemiologist and gives the WHO Commission a unique international perspective on the mental health of workers.

As part of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health of the WHO, the Employment Conditions Knowledge Network investigates how different types of labour markets, employment and working conditions affect workers’ health and mental health within a global comparative and multidisciplinary perspective. The Commission itself draws attention to the social determinants of health, which are known to be among the worst causes of poor health and inequalities between and within countries, to improve health equity through inter-sectoral health policies.

Colin Perrier, Employment Research and Evaluation Analyst, Community Support and Research Unit (CSRU), CAMH

The CSRU is focused on the social determinants of health and promotes full recovery and community participation for people with serious mental illness and/or substance abuse problems. A key component of this recovery is employment. The CSRU provides employment and education services and conducts evaluation and applied research studies relating to employment for individuals with mental illness and/or addictions. The majority of this research is focused on barriers to return-to-work and the supports needed to facilitate return and retention.

To arrange interviews please contact Michael Torres, Media Relations, CAMH at (416) 595-6015.

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The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital, as well as one of the world's leading research centres in the area of addiction and mental health. CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to transform the lives of people affected by mental health and addiction issues.

CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre.