[Inter-sectoral costs and benefits arising from mental health (disorders)]

Mental health disorders may bring costs and benefits to areas and sectors lying outside the health care system. However, little is known about these inter-sectoral costs and benefits (ICBs) in spite of the increasing interest in societal cost-benefit analyses (SCBA) that attempt to quantify all costs and benefits involved.
AIM: To present a first inventory of ICBs relating to mental health care and to describe the relation between ICBs and SCBA.
METHOD: We reviewed the literature and conducted a secondary analysis of the results of a previous study.
RESULTS: We found that at least eight mental health disorders were reported to have a (financial) impact on at least three sectors outside the health care system.
CONCLUSION: Further research into ICBs is needed so that future inter-sectoral policy can be better directed and targeted more efficiently.