Mapping of mental health indicators in the WHO European region: a scoping review

This scoping review aims to map and describe mental health indicators used in peer-reviewed studies in the WHO European Region to inform the development of a regional mental health measurement framework.

reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR), this scoping review analysed 75 studies identified through database searches on mental health monitoring and indicators in the WHO European Region. The scope was restricted to English-language, peer-reviewed literature published from 2019 onwards. Indicators were extracted and standardised to reflect their original reported meaning, treated as distinct and pragmatically classified into nine predefined domains.

Across the 75 studies, 450 distinct indicators were identified. Most indicators related to mental health status and mental health risk factors and/or determinants. Geographic coverage varied, with northern and western European countries most frequently represented among the included literature. Diverse measurement tools were employed.

The predominance of indicators related to mental health status and determinants reflects the emphasis on burden and underlying factors, while system-level or structural indicators remain under-represented. Differences in geographic coverage likely stem from disparities in research capacity, publication practices and data availability.

This scoping review provides a descriptive overview of mental health indicators applied in recent peer-reviewed research in the Region. Greater alignment between research indicators and policy frameworks may strengthen the comparability and policy utility of mental health data across the Region.