Which set of items represents community indicators used to screen for population-level mental health needs and associated preventive actions?

• A. Suicide rates
• B. Prevalence of depression, access to mental health services
• C. Suicide rates, prevalence of depression, access to mental health services
• D. Access to mental health services

Answer: (C)

The idea here is to use indicators that show both how many people are affected by mental health issues and how ready the system is to respond. To truly screen population-level needs and plan prevention, you need measures of the burden of mental illness and the ability to act on it. Including suicide rates gives a handle on the most severe outcome in the community. Including the prevalence of depression shows how widespread the issue is. And including access to mental health services indicates whether people can get care and support, which is essential for preventive actions and treatment. Together, these three provide a fuller picture of where help is needed and how the system can respond.

Suicide rates alone miss how many people are struggling with depression; prevalence of depression and access to services alone miss the actual mortality or severity signal. Access to services alone tells you about availability but not how many are affected or at risk.