This study aimed to identify the most effective organizations in the field of mental health promotion. The results of the study indicated the five institutions, including the Islamic Consultative Assembly, the Ministry of Interior, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, and the Ministry of Education rank the first. The results of the study confirmed the impact of all three executive, legislative, judicial branches on the determinants of mental health. Of these, the executive branch (including various ministries and broadcasting organizations) and the legislative branch showed a prominent impact, because the five primary effective institutions were from these two branches.
Optimal interaction in the relations between the institutions and pillars of government is regarded as one of the key components in the management of a country, and one of these areas is the mutual cooperation between the legislative branch and executive branch based on law and the application of managerial techniques (19). The legislative branch of government is responsible to create the common norms through the approval and regulation of laws and bringing people together as one nation. The judicial branch of government is responsible to protect the value system, cohesion, and address the disputes between individuals and government or public organizations based on laws and regulations, and the executive branch consists of President, Prime Minister, and Cabinet of Ministers, Ministries, Government Employees, Administrative System, and Military and Law Enforcement (20).
Due to the plurality of determinants and entities, the explanations are presented about five institution with greater impacts on some determinants affecting mental health promotion.
Role of the Islamic Consultative Assembly in the mental health promotion of the society
The Islamic Consultative Assembly is the legislative authority in Iran and can enact laws on general issues within the limits prescribed by the Constitution; however, the laws must not conflict with the principles of the official religion or the constitution (21). Prioritizing the mental health promotion in the parliament and taking into account the impacts of laws in the process of approval on the mental health of the community have made the role of the parliament vital in this field.
No attention to human rights (freedom of expression, fair trial, freedom of thought and religion, etc.), no trust in government in reflecting the facts, and lack of involvement of people in relevant decisions are the factors that negatively affect the mental health of people by creating an atmosphere of lack of trust, indifference and loss of social capital in society. The importance of attention to human rights and updating them in the community in accordance with the areas involved in mental health (Prison Organization, Judiciary, Ministry of Health, Police, etc.) and passing specific laws (22) have been considered important in dealing with cases that may affect the mental health of individuals in the society. For example, the studies indicate that one-third of inmates are homeless upon arrival and another one-third lose their home as a result of imprisonment (23), therefore, investigating the situation of prisoners and their return to home and employment can play an important role in mental health promotion. The way that government deals with crimes in the country affects the mental health of people in the community. In this regard, the parliament should provide safer policies to identify and care for prisoners, because they are at risk of suicide and self-harm. The criminal justice administrations should be aware that not only detainees, but also other people involved with the justice system are at higher risk of suicide and mental disorders (24). In this regard, the role of education and culture promotion in broadcasting organizations, schools, and Ministry of Culture will affect the acceptance of specific social groups and how to interact with them and their families.
Housing problem is one of the other risk factors that affect the mental health of society. The housing problem, financial insecurity, debt, and tenancy increase the risk of mental disorders, alcohol abuse, and drug abuse by three fold (25). Research has shown that homeless children are at risk of mental disorders three to four times more than other children (26).Meanwhile, the Islamic Consultative Assembly can play a major role by adopting plans and bills for preventing unreasonable housing prices rise, supporting the tenants, and providing facilities to households without a house, through which it can reduce the mental burden caused by the inability to purchase or rent houses and improve the mental health of people. In this regard, the role of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance and Ministry of Roads & Urban Development should not be ignored.
Social vitality is one of the other effective risk factors. The overall state of vitality in Iranian society is not optimal (below average). Veenhoven believes that at the macro level, vitality is dependent on quality of society and factors such as health, justice and freedom. He believes that the social status of people affects their happiness. Giddens also sees trust as one of the factors affecting happiness and believes that violent threats resulting from industrialization, war, lack of trust, and sense of insecurity are factors threatening happiness. Thus, mass celebrations will bring happiness and lower tension and lead to social action (27); therefore, the policymakers and legislators should consider this matter in order to promote social vitality, which is one of the factors affecting people's health promotion, and approve and pursue the useful plans and bills for this purpose.
Role of the executive branch in the mental health promotion of the society
The executive branch in Iran is composed of various ministries, and the IRIB is also one of its organizations.
Ministry of Interior
One of the tasks of the Ministry of Interior is to coordinate the urban and rural construction development and providing guidance and technical support for the municipalities. The Department of Social Affairs and Protection of Civil Rights is responsible for investigating the social phenomena and harms in the community in collaboration with relevant organizations, as well as examining the policies, strategies, and efforts in providing social justice and civil rights and suggesting a plan to decision-making authorities to promote the aforementioned matters. The Ministry of Interior is also responsible for participation and cooperation with executive bodies to investigate the programs related to the mental and social health of the community, public health, food security, social vitality, and improved life skills (28). In this regard, the Ministry of Interior can affect the provision of recreational facilities, which is one of the effective social determinants on the mental health. Planning to create suitable sites, such as community centers, Internet cafe, green spaces, and safe playground for children create social vitality in the community and affect the mental health of the people; however, these spaces are not properly distributed in deprived areas (29).Thus, the role of the mayors and governors is more prominent in securing the civil rights of people.
The role of the Ministry of the Interior and the governorates in the field of mental health promotion is related to homeland security and the efforts to realize the social and political freedoms of individuals in society. In this regard, various studies have been conducted indicating that the physical security (housing, house and neighborhood security), congestion, abandoned buildings, crime and sabotage, poorly constructed roads, traffic, humidity, lack of recreational facilities and green space, and noise are all causes of distress and depression. Another systematic study showed that housing improvement interventions have a positive impact on physical and mental health (30), all of which can be promoted with the participation of municipalities, governors, and other provincial and municipal institutions.
Investigating the ways of implementing public policies for promoting the national unity and Islamic solidarity are other duties assigned to the Ministry of Interior s (28). In this regard, one of the important factors affecting the mental health of people in society is the occurrence of war, unrest and conflict. The unrest and war disrupt the development of social and economic structures and well-being and will bring long-term stress and psychological harms to the children and adults (31).
Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting
Public radio and television networks behave on the basis of public interest, thus, one of their roles is to teach citizenship skills¸ civil behaviors, and social participation. One of the governing principles of broadcasting organization is independence. This principle indicates that broadcasting should in such a way that provides an appropriate arena for the free expression of opinions and the people can easily access the information. Hence, the radio and television networks should not be dominated by a political party or even advertisers. In this case, the news and information will be impartial and transparent information can be provided; also, since the media are known as the interface between the government and the people, they must be capable of broadcasting truthful news and information across the community.
Broadcasting negative and fake news via the media causes tension and stress in the people, through which it can negatively affect the mental health of people, because it always induces a sense of confusion, despair, and distrust in government and the news. The responsibility of broadcasting news via the national media at the community is another factor that affect the mental health of people; for example, evidence shows that in economic crisis, the increased media coverage may be associated with increased number of suicides, thus, the close cooperation between media representatives and experts in the field of mental health and the provision of guidelines during economic crisis will have a positive effect on appeasing the psychological disruption of individuals in the community (32).The broadcasting organization as a mass media can promote social vitality among the people and improve the mental health of society by producing and broadcasting joyful and uplifting programs.
The prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse is another important risk factor for mental health promotion. The broadcasting organization can make the society aware of their problems with alcohol and drug abuse by producing films and other media content, and thereby, it can institutionalize a culture of drug and alcohol rejection in society. In the meantime, the role of organizations such as the Ministry of Health and the Parliament is also important. Unfortunately, despite being an Islamic country, Iran is facing 2.31% alcohol abuse among youth ( 33) and 2.44% of drug abuse (34). Drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and domestic violence are effective in causing mental problems in the parents and are considered a strong stressors both in parents and children (35).Unfortunately, the tendency to drugs is for adaptation to hard living conditions, temporary relief, and escape from fear or embarrassment. Despite the temporary positive effects of alcohol on mental health, its long-term use could increase stress, depression, memory loss and suicide. Since drug and alcohol abuse is also rooted in cultural, social, and economic factors (36), proper education of people for adaptation to different living conditions is a considerable matter. Sanctions and difficult subsistence of families, high costs, inability to make a living, and other unpleasant consequences, could increase the consumption statistics.
Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare
Duties of Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare in the field of employment, are policymaking and planning for regulating labor relations, solving the problems of the working class, regulating employer-employee relations using trilateral mechanisms in line with the policy of labor force protection, setting the regulations, criteria, safety and labor standards, and determining minimum wage of workers in the High Council of Labor, and defining employment and planning policies within the framework of major government programs and policies (37).In this regard, numerous studies have been conducted on the negative effects of unemployment. The unemployment and job insecurity are one of the most important determinants of mental health. The role of Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare in supporting job opportunities with healthy and productive working conditions is significant. The job insecurity is one of the risk factors can lead to poor mental health (23). The unemployment and poor working relations (lack of independence, overwhelming workload, and low reward) will often lead to stress and mental problems. In the UK, as the statistics show, the unemployed people suffer from anxiety and depression 10-14 times more than others (38).
There is a distinction between "good employment" and "bad employment" and defines good work as one that is associated with fair treatment, choice, security and reward (35).A good work promotes the mental health of a person through empowerment to participate in the community, inducing a sense of independence, and spending on housing, food, clothing, and leisure. The studies have shown that the factors that reduce the sense of control, such as job insecurity, low income, and unfavorable workplace conditions could be more damaging that unemployment (23).
In addition, the Ministry of Welfare can provide more effective support to families that are responsible for taking care of a patient or disabled person in the family or have experienced several adverse events in adulthood (such as divorce, disability, loss of family members, etc.), because being in such a situation can induce the feelings of isolation and lack of social support and can seriously damage the mental health of such people. Research indicates the impact of parental mental problems on children's mental health and well-being at other stages of childhood (35).
Legislation and political choices that lead to events such as recession can affect health. Recession can intensify poverty and income inequality in the societies, which in turn increases poor mental health (39). As people fall from their social economic status, due to the unemployment and lack of income, their health becomes at risk (40). Adopting irrational austerity measures for public services has also affected various demographic groups such as children, families and youth, leading to long-term and costly psychological and physical damage and an obstacle for economic growth of society. In this regard, the Ministry of Welfare has policymaking and planning duties to coordinate different sectors of government in order to prevent the social harms and to participate in determining the absolute and relative poverty.
Lack of access to sources in the community, such as friendship networks, facilities for children, opportunities for exercising, environment and social inequalities, stigma and discrimination, all affect the mental health of adults. A systematic review study conducted in 2009 showed that environment and socioeconomic status, and place of residence, are important factors in health and performance of adults, and the impacts of this deprivation continue until later in life (41). In this field, the Ministry of Welfare can play a major role given the tasks of policymaking and planning to protect the community members against economic and social adverse events.
Policymaking and planning to provide minimum living standards for the society while prioritizing low-income families and those with physical and mental disabilities within the framework of the comprehensive welfare and social security system are the other duties of this ministry, which could have a negative impact on mental health of society through the lack of basic living conditions (safe water, sanitation, safe nutrition, etc.). The emotional and cognitive effects of social differentiation are profound. Higher inequality increases the competition and insecurity in all income and age groups. The inequality in society can lead to feelings of anger, despair, shame, deprivation, and lack of control over people's living conditions and can led to stress (23).Thus, the distribution of socio-economic resources affects health. The social support for all people in the community, in particular vulnerable groups, such as working children, street children, single women, elderly, non-skilled young people looking for work, families with incurable or disabled patient, prisoners and their families, are essential for maintaining and improving their mental health. The role of the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare in support of prisoners upon release from prison can affect the mental health of the group.
An inappropriate retirement system is one of the other risk factors affecting the mental health of individuals in the community. Given the Iran's aging population, the responsibilities of organizations such as the Civil Servants Pension Organization and Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare are more prominent, because retirement can be a time of good health; however, the compulsory and early retirement, feeling of being compelled to continue working for economic needs, feeling of being inactive in meaningful affairs, or having limited relationships with family and friends, can increase the likelihood of dementia and depression in individuals (35, 42). Given that the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare has a defined task in planning to conduct economic studies on the financing system and partnership to sustain the financing resources of social and insurance funds as well as integrating and pursuing macro-welfare policies to develop the social and economic justice (37), thus, it can improve the retirement conditions and reduce the future stresses of the employees in post-retirement situation and bring about the mental health promotion.
Ministry of Education
One of the tasks of the Ministry of Education is the development and spread of physical education (43) Since one of the risk factors affecting the mental health promotion is inactivity and lack of exercise, thus, by overcoming some of the barriers to involvement in sports (financial barriers, lack of time, low self-esteem, and lack of athletic facilities), the people can become better involved in physical activity. Policymakers such as the Ministry of Sport and Youth, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Roads & Urban Development, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, can play a major role in facilitating the access to all kinds of sports (structured and competitive physical activity, planned and purposeful physical activity for fitness, games and daily physical activities) (44). The physical activity also affects the physical and mental health by promoting a feeling of competence, peace, and social support (45).
The Ministry of Education can coordinate education in the national education system through a cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, and other institutions that are somehow involved in education. Given the importance of self-efficacy and life skills in adolescents and youth, one of the ways to prevent the mental and behavioral problems is the mental capacity building, which will be effective through the teaching of life skills in reducing drug abuse, preventing violent behaviors, enhancing self-esteem, skills for dealing with stress, and having positive and effective relationships (46).
Meeting educational needs, including place of equipment, other educational facilities, covering all children in need of education, and enhancing literacy movement, are among the tasks of the Ministry of Education (43), which are associated with the risk factor of not receiving education and academic success. The role of the Ministry of Education in the field of mental health promotion is undeniable. The school is where the children spend a half of their daily life, thus, the school is regarded as a good environment for boosting the mental health of individuals. Learning plays an important role in a child's social and cognitive development and creates the areas of self-esteem and social interactions in children (47). Education means lifelong learning (48). Education at any age reduces the risk of disorders such as depression, particularly in women (49). Learning has also been effective in increasing income and job creation, which also affects increased life satisfaction and mental health promotion (50). Low level of education is a risk factor for occurrence of psychological problems (49).
According to reports, the children who do not have a positive experience of education or are deprived of education suffer from higher anxiety (51). A good school understands the relationship between mental health and educational outcomes and provides effective systems for monitoring and responding to the problems of children and adolescents. For youth at risk of behavioral or emotional risks, the schools should provide the conditions that lead to their resilience through behavioral support, school counseling, and parent-centered interventions. Schools must challenge the stigma and discrimination on the mental health and ensure that the school staff and students have sufficient knowledge on mental health and they know when and how to ask for help in this field (24).
It is worth noting that learning improves health by affecting four types of capital, including economic capital (employment opportunity), human capital (awareness and knowledge), social capital (levels of civic interaction and social cohesion), and identity capital (self-confidence and self-respect) (23).
Poor planning for the early years of life is another determinant of the mental health of individuals in the community. Separation from or loss of parents (due to divorce, hospitalization, death, etc.), changes in life (such as changing the school or place of residence), and traumatic events (violence, abuse, accidents, natural disasters (52) are the major traumatic factors of this period. In order to maintain and improve the health of people in dealing with such events, there is a need for planning by relevant organizations. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education with respect to its duty in performing necessary actions to provide, maintain, and promote physical, mental and social health of the students in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, can play a major role in improving the conditions for children, adolescents, and youth.
Numerous studies have been conducted on the inter-sectoral actions of health and determining the role of organizations in this area. For example, Fisher et al. (2016), noted that the major institutions involved in inter-sectoral actions in the area of social determinants affecting health and justice are department of education, social services, sports organizations, police, judiciary system, urban planning, and to a lesser extent, the department of environment (53). Skeen et al. (2010), explained the role of institutions, such as department of housing, judiciary, correctional services, police, social welfare, education sector, and labor sector as effective institutions on mental health promotion in Africa (54). Damari (2016), in an article focused on portion and role of five factors affecting mental health risk factors, considered the ministry of health, ministry of interior, ministry of education, ministry of welfare and social security, and broadcasting organization, as five institutions entities (55), which are almost in line with the institutions identified in this study, and the small differences may be due to the changes in the economic and political conditions of the society; since the process of identifying stakeholders is a dynamic process, and in any situation of the society, the related stakeholders could be slightly different. In the present study, the Ministry of Health is ranked eighth in terms of impact on mental health risk factors, and this indicates the need for greater attention in the inter-sectoral cooperation in the field of health, especially mental health.
In addition to studies carried out on the role of organizations or stakeholders in different aspects of health, in the Ottawa Charter that is one of the earliest charters in the field of inter-sectoral health actions, the importance of institutions such as department of education, department of labor, and the parliament are also mentioned in the Ottawa Charter. In this charter, the importance of providing supportive health environments (peer education, problem-solving skills, negotiation and social skills in schools, lower unemployment pressure, improved housing conditions, and reduced stigma), building individual skills (improved resilience and access to education for adults, dealing with stress), and formulating healthy public policies (healthy workplace policies, good working conditions, and workplace well-being promotion) are noted (56).