Text av Sirpa Soini, Helsingfors universitet, publiserad i Nordic Health Law in a European Context (red: Elisabeth Rynning och Mette Hartlev, Liber 2011)
The focus of this conference is on ethical questions regarding mental health seen from different perspectives. Many different factors may affect the mental health of an individual. Psychological and social circumstances for a person are of great importance, but the extent of this influence on the mental health varies according to the genetic composition of the person. Different kind of stress induction can cause a mental health disorder for a person. These disorders appear in all age groups and affect families, close relatives and working places. The diseases themselves cause individual suffering, and in addition, mental health problems still carry a certain stigma.
Target audience: Government officials, doctors, health care workers, patient groups, researchers, pharmaceutical companies, social workers, media, students