Statistics and Information Systems

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a Mental Health Information System (MHIS) as a “system for collecting, processing, analyzing, disseminating and using information about a mental health service and the mental health needs of the population it serves” (WHO, 2005). A system is seen as “a collection of components that work together to achieve a common objective” (WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, 2004). The objective of a MHIS is to serve as a tool for improving the mental health of a population and its individual members. The question to be discussed is in which way issues of classification and diagnosis may contribute to this objective. Before this can be done the main uses of MHISs will be identified, the information and data typically processed in such a system will be reviewed, and, thirdly, the role of a common language will be analyzed aimed at facilitating communication and understanding among the users of such systems.