Discrimination, poor mental health, and mental illness

Abstract

Discrimination is a major public health issue. Discrimination is known and well recognized to be associated with poor physical and mental health, as well as creating social divisions and fear that undermines the success of society and economic progress. Policies to eradicate discrimination and prejudice in the public sphere, and in public life, need thoughtful and careful planning and engagement by all public institutions and in the way they conduct their business. This forms the basis of social justice. Employers, politicians, and public servants, as well as other stakeholders, irrespective of their professional status, all have ethical responsibilities to uphold such actions and policies, values, and supporting behaviours, as a core principle of successful societies.

Keywords:

• Discrimination
• mental health
• political leadership
• public health

Disclosure statement

KB is Director of MSc in Global & Cultural Perspectives on Mental Health, and a Professional Doctorate in Intercultural Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. The author reports no conflicts of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of the paper.