The webinar “Inclusion Health: Considerations on Physical and Mental Health,” held on October 24, provided valuable insights into the connections between physical and mental health and approaches to reducing health inequalities. A central focus was on the social determinants of health, which influence both individual and societal well-being. Factors such as living conditions and social influences that can significantly impact health were highlighted.

“Minority Stress”

Another key focus was the concept of Minority Stress, which illustrated how experiences of discrimination—particularly among LGBTIQ+ individuals—can adversely affect mental health. The importance of participatory research was also emphasized, particularly the role of positionality in research. It was made clear how essential it is to actively involve those affected in order to achieve realistic and practice-relevant research outcomes.

Finally, practical resilience strategies were presented, including exercises for stress reduction and mindfulness, which can contribute to strengthening individual resilience.

Katrin Schäfer’s contributions as a doctoral candidate in Public Health at the Medical University of Vienna provided a solid foundation for the discussion, drawing from both her research on mental health promotion and her practical experience in child and adolescent psychiatry.