Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
What is Cittadinanza?
Cittadinanza is a non-profit Italian organization (ONLUS – organizzazione non lucrativa di utilità sociale) established in 1999 in Rimini in order to provide assistance and support to those suffering from mental illness and living in conditions of poverty in low income countries.
Cittadinanza (Citizenship, in English) aims at removing their mask of shame, giving them back their ‘citizen’ image, while protecting their inalienable human and civil rights.
Cittadinanza therefore develops and supports, together with the World Health Organization (WHO), psychiatric rehabilitation and psychosocial projects in low income countries. Its interventions are concentrated in clearly identified areas, focusing not only on treatment and rehabilitation but also on social reintegration of people with mental disabilities into their own communities.
Cittadinanza operates in a long-term perspective, thus attaching utmost importance to the professional training of local human resources.
Cittadinanza’s website is only for psychiatry professionals?
No. Cittadinanza is not presenting issues related to pharmacology, genetics, psychopathology; but it is turning to psychosocial projects, prejudices, human rights, prevention, etc., which are of great relevance for everybody: persons with mental disorders, their families, and the all society.
Whom is Cittadinanza addressing?
Cittadinanza is addressing everybody, and specifically all those who, during their life span, have ‘encountered’ mental illness: patients, their families, assistance associations and organizations, doctors, nurses, teachers, social workers and whoever shares a special sensitivity for people with mental disorders.
Is mental illness in low income countries as widespread as in rich ones?
The poor are ‘inheriting’ the health problems of the rich: people in the poorest countries are adopting the same life-style and the same unhealthy behaviors as the industrialized world: sedentary jobs, insufficient physical activity, irrationale diets, tobacco, alcohol and drugs. The burden of mental disorders thus continues to grow in low income countries, where the most relevant causes of illnesses are depression, self-inflicted injuries, dementia and alcohol dependence. In 2025 three quarters of the elderly affected by dementia will be living in low income countries. The rates of mental retardation and epilepsy are from 3 to 5 times higher in those countries.
Approximately 400 million mentally ill persons live in low income countries: half of these people receive poor and inadequate assistance, which includes long term institutionalization where violations of human rights are quite common, while half of them are not assisted or treated by any kind of mental health service. Around 80 % of patients affected by epilepsy do not receive anti-convulsing treatments even if a pharmacological therapy is available at a reasonable price.
Is poverty worsening mental illness?
One of the world’s biggest killers and greatest causes of ill-health and suffering across the globe is poverty. It represents the main cause of life-span reduction, disabilities and famine. Chronic conditions of hunger, malnutrition and poverty represent an important factor leading to mental illness, stress, suicide, the break-up of families and the abuse of certain substances. Though, it would be more correct to speak about ‘poor people’ than ‘poor countries’, since the problem is widespread also amongst low income groups of the population in high income countries.
Briefly we can say that while in the origin of some mental disorders a crucial role is played by poverty, in some other cases poverty is affecting the course of mental illness and the likelihood and lasting of the recovery process. For instance, mental retardation is more common in those countries where more frequently delivery takes place in unhealthy environments and poor hygienic conditions, with high infection risks, while psychosis, like schizophrenia, have a similar incidence in all countries and are not linked to the population’s wealth (except for the recovery path, still affected by the socio-economic conditions of each country).
Is mental health really so important if compared to other dramas afflicting the world, like wars and poverty?
Yes. If we attach the utmost importance to human rights, then those who suffer from mental illness represent an obvious primary social and ethical target, taken into consideration how severely they are marginalized, hidden, neglected, deprived of their fundamental rights and transform into second-class citizens, with no voice and no right to complain.
Is mental illness curable?
Yes. Cost-effective treatments exist for most disorders, like epilepsy and depression, and, if correctly applied, could enable most of those affected to become functioning members of society. But most middle and low-income countries devote less than 1% of their health expenditure to mental health. Consequently mental health policies, legislation, community care facilities and treatments for people with mental illness are not given the priority they deserve. For instance, around 80% of patients affected by epilepsy do not receive anti-convulsing treatments even if a pharmacological therapy is available at a reasonable price.
How Cittadinanza spends the funds collected?
Funds collected by Cittadinanza represent an important contribution to Cittadinanza’s four main activities. First of all, cooperation projects are presently being implemented in Serbia, Albania and India; then, Cittadinanza is providing mental health human resources with professional training; it is promoting awareness campaigns in order to raise public awareness on mental illness-related issues; and it is organizing International Technical Consultations aimed at developing and improving mental health systems in low and middle income countries.
Is Cittadinanza collaborating with the World Health Organization?
Yes, the WHO Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse provides Cittadinanza with a solid scientific background concerning the so-called ‘evidence based medicine’, which strengthens the possibility to re-propose in different contexts the same successful models applied in already implemented pilot-projects.
Why does the World Health Organization need Cittadinanza’s help?
Cittadinanza is providing the WHO with ad hoc financial support that is more independent and needs-and-results oriented than the official governmental funds. Furthermore, Cittadinanza is providing the World Health Organization with technical expertise on the definition and review of WHO projects’ objectives.
How can I support Cittadinanza?
Cittadinanza’s interventions in favor of people with mental disabilities rely on the help of all those who give their time as volunteers and of the individuals, businesses, foundations and entities who support our projects with monetary and professional contributions.
Single citizens, families, classmates, friends, clubs can share our principles and give an important contribution to our activities and projects.
You can either make a single donation or become a member of Cittadinanza.
Please click on the ‘Help Us’ section of our website and find out more about simple ways to share our principles and support our projects and activities.
Who can guarantee that my donation will actually reach and help the final beneficiaries?
Transparency towards our donors is one of our most firm commitments. Through our website and our newsletter we commit ourselves to provide our donors with regular and transparent information concerning how their donations contribute to our projects and activities.
