Subject: Mental health during the COVID pandemic
European research findings have revealed a rapid and continuous increase in those displaying symptoms of depression and anxiety, this being caused by the threat of the COVID virus itself, the measures taken to eradicate it and the surrounding media hype.
In a bid improve mental resilience among the general population, the European Union is funding the DynaMORE project, which seeks to exploit advanced mathematical modelling for the promotion of mental health and well-being. At the same time, an app is being developed to help prevent anxiety disorders.
In view of this:
1. Can the Commission say what measures it is planning to take to contain and subsequently remedy these symptoms and their causes?
2. How will it ensure that the media is clearly informed of its intention to combat various forms of depression and anxiety so as to ensure that they, for their part, do not exacerbate the problem?
Answer given by Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission
(13 May 2022)
Mental health is a prominent theme in the best practice implementation supported via the Steering Group on Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Management of Non-Communicable Diseases (1) and the Commission’s health programmes.
The third Health Programme’s 2020 work programme (2) currently supports a project implementing an approach to tackle depression and suicide (3) and a joint action (4) implementing a multi-level suicide prevention programme as well as a system reform to strengthen community-based services.
Under the EU4Health 2021 work programme, a call for projects to implement promising practices to reduce the mental health impact of COVID-19 closed on 25 January 2022 (5). Under the EU4Health 2022 work programme, two calls for proposals (6) to support the mental health of children, young people, and their families were launched on 15 February 2022.
Moreover, ‘Mental health and neurological disorders’ form one of five key strands addressed by the new ‘Healthier Together’ EU Non- Communicable Diseases Initiative (7).
A plan for concrete action will be developed in co-creation with EU countries, health authorities, stakeholders, international organisations and Commission departments. This will include a focus on promoting mental well-being, preventing mental health disorders, and increasing resilience.
The Commission’s web pages (8) inform on past and ongoing mental health actions, also in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Information is also shared via the Commission’s Health Policy Platform (9) and social media channels.
⋅1∙ https://ec.europa.eu/health/non-communicable-diseases/steering-group_en
⋅2∙ https://ec.europa.eu/health/funding/adoption_workplan_2020_en
⋅3∙ Started in April 2021 and running for three years, this EAAD-Best project involves ten European Countries and is co-funded by the EU with EUR 1.6 million, see
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/chafea_pdb/health/projects/101018325/summary and https://eaad-best.eu ⋅4∙ Started in October 2021, running for three years, and with participation from 21 European countries, this is EU co-funded with EUR 5.4 million, see
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/chafea_pdb/health/projects/101035969/summary and https://ja-implemental.eu ⋅5∙ Calls are under evaluation. The awarded projects will start before end 2022. The EU contribution for this work will be EUR 750 000. ⋅6∙ Also contributing to the European Year of Youth, a budget of EUR 4 million will be available for each of the two calls, deadline for proposals is 25 May 2022. ⋅7∙ The initiative was launched in December 2021 to help Member States reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases, see: https://ec.europa.eu/health/latest-
updates/eu-non-communicable-diseases-ncds-initiative-frequently-asked-questions-2022-04-01_en ⋅8∙ An overview of Commission current and past activities in the area of mental health is available on https://ec.europa.eu/health/non-communicable-diseases/mental-
health_en
⋅9∙ https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/hpf/