2

This second volume of Project ATLAS of WHO provides individual descriptive country profile of mental health resources within 191 countries. The profiles not only present, in a narrative form, all the data provided in the first volume, but also provide new quantitative and qualitative information. In addition, more detailed analyses of previously gathered data are also included in this volume. These country profiles confirm what mental health professionals working in these countries have known for a long time: that mental health services are grossly inadequate when compared to the needs of mental health care. The value of the Atlas therefore is that it replaces impressions and opinions with facts and figures. Section I of this second volume describes the methodology used to collect this data, as well as the global and regional analyses. It is organized around 16 broad themes. Section II provides short descriptive profiles on mental health resources for each of the 191 countries and 10 Associate Members and areas of WHO under study. Each profile covers the broad areas of policy and legislation, finance, mental health facilities, including disability benefits, primary care and training facilities, community care facilities, distribution of psychiatric beds and professionals, non-governmental organizations, information gathering systems, specific programmes for special sectors of the population, therapeutic drugs and any other information that was made available to WHO by countries. When available, a short reference list of documents and literature about mental health resources in the country is also included. [Résumé tiré du site : www.who.int/mental_health]