This publication presents evidence about the magnitude and severe consequences of comorbidity of mental and physical illnesses from a personal and societal perspective. Leading experts address the huge burden of comorbidity to the affected individual as well as the public health aspects, the costs to society and interaction with factors stemming from the context of socioeconomic developments. The authors discuss the clinical challenge of managing cardiovascular illnesses, cancer, infectious diseases and other physical illness when they occur with a range of mental and behavioral disorders, including substance abuse, eating disorders and anxiety. Also covered are the organization of health services, the training of different categories of health personnel and the multidisciplinary engagement necessary to prevent and manage comorbidity effectively.

The book is essential reading for general practitioners, internists, public health specialists, psychiatrists, cardiologists, oncologists, medical educationalists and other health care professionals.

Table of Contents:
Foreword: Goldberg, D. (London) • Preface: Sartorius, N. (Geneva); Holt, R.I.G (Southampton).; Maj, M. (Naples) Background 1. Conceptual Perspectives on the Co-Occurrence of Mental and Physical Disease: Diabetes and Depression as a Model Fisher, E.B. (Lewood, Kans/Chapel; Hill, N.C) ; Chan, J.C.N. (Hong Kong, SAR) ; Kowitt, S. (Leawood, Kans/ Chapel Hill, N.C ); Nan, H. (Hong Kong, SAR); Sartorius, N. (Geneva); Oldenburg, B. (Melbourne, Vic.) 2. Public Health Perspectives on the Co-Occurrence of Non-Communicable Diseases and Common Mental Disorders Oldenburg, B.; O‘Neil, A.; Cocker, F. (Melbourne, Vic) 3. Counting All the Costs: The Economic Impact of Comorbidity McDaid, D.; Park, A.-L. (London) 4. Difficulties Facing the Provision of Care for Multimorbidity in Low-Income Countries Beran, D. (Geneva) Comorbidity of Mental and Physical Illness: A Selective Review 5. Depression, Diabetes and Dementia Rosenblat, J.D. (Toronto, Ont/London, Ont.) Mansur, R.B. (Toronto, Ont./Sao Paulo); Cha, D.S.( Toronto, Ont.); Baskaran, A. (Toronto, Ont./Kingston, Ont); McIntyre, R.S. (Toronto, Ont.) 6. Cardiovascular Disease and Severe Mental Illness Holt, R.I.G. (Southampton) 7. Multiple Comorbidities in People with Eating Disorders Monteleone, P. (Salerno/Naples); Brambilla, F. (Milan) 8. Anxiety and Related Disorders and Physical Illness Kariuki-Nyuthe, C.( Ringwood East, Vic); Stein, D.J. (Cape Town) 9. Cancer and Mental Illness Lawrence, D.; Hancock, K.J. (West Perth, W. A); Kisely, S. (Brisbane, Qld.) 10. Infectious Diseases and Mental Health Müller, N. (Munich) 11. Physical Diseases and Addictive Disorders: Associations and Implications Gordon, A.J.; Conley, J.W. (Pittsburgh, Pa); Gordon, J.M. (Springfield, Mo.) Management of Comorbidity of Mental and Physical Illness 12. The Role of General Practitioners and Family Physicians in the Management of Multimorbidity Boeckxstaens, P.; De Maeseneer, J.; De Sutter, A (Ghent) 13. Training Physicians at Undergraduate and Postgraduate Levels about Comorbidity Cushing, A.; Evans, S. (London) 14. The Dialogue on Diabetes and Depression African Nursing Training Programme: A Collaborative Training nitiative to Improve the Recognition and Management of Diabetes and Depression in Sub-Saharan Africa Millar, H.L. (Dundee); Cimino, L. (Indianapolis, Ind.); van der Merwe, A.S. (Stellenbosch) 15. The Challenge of Developing Person-Centred Services to Manage Comorbid Mental and Physical Illness Gask, L. (Manchester) 16. Prevention of Comorbid Mental and Physical Disorders Hosman, C.(Maastricht/Nijmegen) Concluding Remarks 17. Conclusions and Outlook Sartorius, N. (Geneva); Holt, R.I.G. (Southampton); Maj, M.(Naples) • Author Index • Subject Index