Mental health in Central and Eastern Europe: a comprehensive analysis.

ABSTRACT: The post-communist WHO European region, often called Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), includes 28 countries with over 770 million people. Mental health systems remain shaped by the communist legacy of centralized institutions, a narrow biomedical focus, and neglect of social and psychological dimensions. Chronic underfunding persists, further strained by shrinking civic space in some countries and the war in Ukraine. Substantial progress has been made in the past decade, with modernization and rights-based approaches gaining ground. Yet reforms face entrenched barriers: underinvestment disproportionate to the burden; pervasive stigma, weak advocacy, and limited involvement of people with lived experience; dominance of institutional care over prevention, promotion, and community services;

SUBMITTER: Winkler P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12541642 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature