Improve identification of mental disorders and identify vulnerable groups: The EU Mutual Learning Programme in Gender Equality Gender Equality, Mental Health and Gender Mainstreaming Heath Policies

This report will first address mental health care in Germany and subsequently digital media use. German mental health treatment is comparatively effective. Mental health care is provided by multiple practitioners in localised centers, this cooperation assures a relatively holistic treatment approach instead of a treatment solely focused on psychiatry. Involvement of patient representatives is common. Gender aspects are inconsistently introduced in treatment guidelines. Research on gender and health has been encouraged by a funding initiative by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in 2016. We are hopeful that this research will help fill existing gaps in our understanding. Unfortunately, a substantial number of mental disorders remains untreated, partly because of perceived stigma but also because those affected do not recognise their mental health condition. Identifying cases of mental disorders using standardised, low-threshold testing is crucial to increase treatment success and would likely also lead to a more gender fair mental health care. Data on media use is available in Germany, however effects of media use on mental health are not well understood. Adolescents and young adults report more negative effects of digital media use when they engage in internet multitasking. Another factor that might make vulnerable to negative effects of digitalisation are neglectful or abusive families. Children within these families are at a higher risk to develop mental health disorders anyway. Controlling negative effects of digital media might be futile, instead identifying and supporting survivors of childhood maltreatment might be a more feasible approach.