The causes and consequences of mental disorders involve concepts, methods, and syntheses that are relatively new to the study of epidemiology and public health. As the intersections of these topics become increasingly relevant, Public Mental Health provides a comprehensive introduction to public health approaches to mental and behavioral disorders—and to the overall promotion of mental health.

The volume details the latest methodologies for studying the occurrence of mental disorders in populations, including estimates of burden, cultural differences, natural history, and disparities between population subgroups. It includes reviews of genes as risk sources, the occurrence of stresses and their timing over the life span, and crises and disasters as sources of risk. It is an increasingly important resource for researchers, students, and practitioners in public health and its
surrounding disciplines.