Well being and mental disorder: epidemiological tools in the global village

In the last few years we have learned that social and environmental factors have an essential impact on mental well-being and mental disorders. We are witnessing changing family structures, new gender roles, increased population and social mobility and a variety of other societal changes. Culture and environment have an important influence on patterns of mental disorders, and psychiatric epidemiology is the key discipline for analysing these developments. Psychosocial risk factors and biological markers as well as their interdependence are essential to understanding the aetiology of mental disorders. The 12th International Congress of IFPE will be a major opportunity for researchers and clinicians engaged with these issues to report their findings and exchange their ideas. Leading experts in their field will report as well as younger researchers who are at the beginning of their careers. Apart from the main theme of the Congress, research reports from all other aspects of psychiatric epidemiology, including service planning and service evaluation, pharmaco-epidemiology and clinical epidemiology are very welcome.

IFPE will offer some support to participants from low-income countries, trainees, and graduate students.

For further information, please see the Congress website (http://www.ifpe2009.at/)

or contact Harald Berger (harald.b.berger@meduniwien.ac.at)

Herning, Denmark, 26–28 February 2009

It is with great pleasure that we invite researchers, parents, professionals, people with autism, and others with an interest in autism and related disorders to participate in ‘Meeting of Minds 3 – a Conference on Autism+’.

Meeting of Minds is a concept which brings different mindsets together. The 2009 conference centres on issues in areas such as medical, educational/psychological and quality of life. Meeting of Minds 3 bring together the minds of researchers, professionals and people with ASD and their families.

To encourage and develop understanding in situations where autism occurs in combination with other disorders, the overall theme of Meeting of Minds 3 is Autism+. The conference examines the prevalence of autism+, and the implications for intervention and quality of life for people with autism and their families.

Meeting of Minds 3 centres on both research and practice and allows the minds of researchers, parents, professionals and people with autism/Asperger's syndrome to meet and exchange knowledge.

The Conference will be held at Herning Congress Centre, Østergade 37, 7400 Herning, Denmark.

Further details on the conference, including the full programme, can be accessed via the website (www.meetingofminds.dk) where online booking is now available.