Prevention and the Field of Mental Health: a Psychiatric Perspective

This article reviews USA public health origins, summarizes work taking place in several disciplines regarding prevention strategies, & highlights promising approaches that may lead to concrete preventative measures. It notes that true prevention requires clear understanding of the etiology, pathogenesis, & natural progression of an illness, &, the abilities to identify at-risk populations, anticipate the effects of interventions, & intervene before signs of a disorder appear. (54 refs.)