Identifying and assessing core components of collaborative-care models for treating mental and physical health conditions

ABSTRACT

Improvements in science, technology, nutrition and social care have meant that with few exceptions, populations in low-, medium- and high-income countries are living longer, and this trend is expected to continue into the future. This increase in life expectancy has resulted in more people living with chronic and complex conditions, which means that health systems need to be equipped to deal with these conditions along with acute and episodic conditions. A review of projections of global mortality and burden of disease shows that mental illness and non-communicable chronic illness will continue to be among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity across the globe.(1) Furthermore, most people with chronic conditions are living with multiple chronic conditions (often referred to as multimorbidity).(2) In general, people living with multiple chronic conditions have greater healthcare needs and use more services, but have worse health and social outcomes (e.g., quality of life, ability to work, employability, disability and mortality) than the general population