This Brief explores how achieving better mental health and better care for mental health is a global endeavor that cannot be achieved without acknowledging the cultural, ethnic, social and gender diversity found in individuals and societies across the world. It also includes novel neurobiological and bio medical approaches to treatment and how those can be used from a diversity and gender perspective. The author explores diversity during the lifespan, meaning: specific lifespan aspects, but also racial, ethnic and cultural factors, and always gender related elements. Further prominent determinants in global mental health are for example globalization, international migration, specific population idiosyncrasies, climate change and political context. Mental illness occurs in all communities, regardless of social status, gender, race or culture but the way mental health problems manifest is colored by societal norms, tolerance, stigma, missing information, missing descriptions of the prevention, promotion and mental disorders, assessment tools, and training & treatment guidelines, missing health services and organizational structures. Historically research in mental health has been biased towards “western-centric heterosexual” male models of disease. Models of service have traditionally excluded sexual and ethnic minorities and may not have been inclusive of different cultures or spiritual approaches either, which in turn may increase the isolation of these communities and produce vulnerability to disease. This work will be of interest to researchers in behavioral medicine, as well as practitioners and educators, and related fields such as psychology, social policy, and public health. weiterlesen