Though often invisible and misunderstood, mental disorders are in fact a widespread phenomenon in society. The opportunity for treating patients is enormous, but so are the marketing and PR challenges
in the field.
One of the major hurdles for marketers and public relations executives in the mental health field is the lingering stigma associated with mental health, which makes open communication difficult. This
stigma, however, appears to be fading somewhat because "...mental health has been widely covered in the media [and] the stigma is declining," says Stephanie Marshall, a vice president in the healthcare
practice of PR firm Porter Novelli, Washington, D.C.
She notes that a major study released last year by the National Institute of Mental Health that documented both the widespread nature of mental health disorders and their treatability received
widespread and positive media coverage. Still, she points out, communication about mental health with the media requires a focus on presenting "the scientific and medical basis" for mental health
disorders and their treatments.
Others have found the media relations challenge daunting. "It's a real struggle for PR practitioners in this field to have the media accurately portray a number of these disorders," says Brian
Ruberry, CEO of Allhealth Public Relations, North Potomac, Md.
He recently served as a judge for a media awards program run by the American Psychiatric Association, and found that the majority of local and national television programs submitted failed to cover
mental health in a "responsible manner." Particularly, there is a tendency for media reports to associate mental health disorders with violence, says Ruberry.
So what can PR and marketing executives do in the face of this problem? The answer: there is no magic bullet.
The profession must simply work hard to convince the media to run responsible stories that do not sensationalize cases of mental health disorders.
Today, organizations can shift the focus to more hopeful angles, Ruberry advises. "The facts show that most mental health disorders now are treatable. You need to try to work with the media to show
some of these success stories about treatments."
In some cases, it is possible even to find a patient willing to discuss their mental health affliction and how it is being successfully treated. "Because of the stigma, it can be difficult to find
people, but when you can, this is very effective," Ruberry says.
And PR and marketing executives need to be even more aggressive about keeping the media honest by contacting reporters and editors every time a misleading or sensationalized report is released to the
public.
"It's our job to educate the media" so they can report better, says Lea Ann Browning-McGee, vice president of marketing at the National Mental Health Association, Alexandria, Va.
Reaching Patients: A Complex Task
Incorporating mental health patients into PR and marketing initiatives requires not only patients to be involved, but also involvment by family members who may be making decisions on behalf of an
incapacitated patient.
"The most important thing to understand is that a family member, generally speaking, is probably the key decision-maker in any patient treatment decision," says Joan F. Bachenheimer, CEO of BBK
Healthcare, Newton, Mass.
Other audiences that have to be reached are patients' psychiatrists, psychologists, public interest groups and patient support groups. While these groups also are key in other areas of healthcare, for
mental health, "you intensify" your focus on these groups, she says.
Communicating with and involving these groups is crucial because treatment non-compliance rates are much higher for mental health disorders than for most other medical conditions.
"You have to get out messages that will empower the caretaker to help bring the patient into the fold," Bachenheimer points out.
Generally, this involves extensive meetings with these individuals to understand their motivations for participation in any treatment program.
The Workplace--A New Channel
As businesses recognize the direct and indirect costs they incur as a result of failing employee mental health, the workplace also is emerging as a new channel for reaching and treating individuals
with mental disorders.
"Our projection is that depression alone will cost businesses in North America and Europe $120 billion annually," states Bill Wilkerson, president of the Business and Economic Roundtable on Mental
Health.
In conjunction with global PR firm GPC International, the Toronto, Canada-based Roundtable is working with business organizations and leaders around the world to highlight business awareness of the
problem and to offer solutions.
For example, the Roundtable has developed an internal communications module to help supervisors identify and work with individuals who may be suffering from some form of mental illness.
"The module includes oral communications skills training [so] supervisors [can] work with employees without invading their privacy," says Wilkerson.
The Roundtable also is developing materials to help businesses work with employees returning to work after suffering from anxiety, depression or other disorders.
"There's a terrific opportunity for businesses to understand and help valued employees to come back to work, by marketing [a better] understanding of mental health," he says.
Marshall, 202/973-5812; Ruberry, 301/947-1662; Browing-McNee, 703/837-4783; Bachenheimer, 617/630-4477; Wilkerson, 416/598-0055.
Tom Moore