During the 1990s, major political changes took place in Poland, and the country has been going through a major socio-economic transformation. This has had serious ramifications for the labour market and for the mental wellbeing of people in the workplace. On the positive side, pluralism, democracy, and freedom entered all spheres of public life including labour. On the negative side, poverty, unemployment, and crime increased in Poland, and the sense of security in everyday life decreased, impacting mental health. During the same years, reforms in the mental health care system, which were long overdue, started coming to fruition. After two decades of effort, the country developed its first Mental Health Programme in 1992, and finally passed the Mental Health Act in 1994. These were major steps in creating a framework for meeting the needs of people suffering from mental health disorders, preventing mental illness, and promoting mental health.
Legislation and policy
The Mental Health Act, which was amended in 1997 and 1999, establishes legal protection of human rights for people with mental health disorders. Under the Act, the State, local authorities and a variety of other institutions are responsible for the care and protection of persons with mental health disorders; the promotion of mental health; and the development of a legal and social environment in which persons with mental health disorders can live in the family and the community.
The goal of the Mental Health Programme is to shift the care of people with mental health disorders from large, geographically isolated institutions to community-based facilities and programs. As amended in 1999, the programme assumes the co-operation of labour and social agencies, educational institutions, and NGOs in furthering this end. The revised programme emphasises implementing prevention and promotion programmes; preparing the mental health care system to cope with Poland's new socio-economic conditions; and developing more workplaces and job opportunities for people with mental health disorders.
Prevalence of mental health disorders
In terms of diagnosing mental health disorders, the ICD-10 international classification was introduced in Poland in 1997. Since then the epidemiological data has been comparable with data from other countries. The Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw collects and publishes yearly statistics on mental health. The data indicates that growing numbers of people, especially patients suffering from depressive disorders, are receiving mental health care in outpatient and inpatient facilities. This trend can be related to Poland's socio-economic transformation and the concomitant rise in unemployment and crime, the decreasing sense of security in the workplace, and anxiety over the decline in living standards.
