Dr Sara Evans-Lacko

Associate Professorial Research Fellow

020 7955 6028

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Research Interests

Sara Evans-Lacko is a mental health services researcher with a particular interest in the role of health services and social support in the prevention and treatment of mental illness. Her research focuses on developing innovative methods to improve access to and quality of mental health care for young people and cross-cultural applications of this in addition to the evaluation of public health interventions such as the Time to Change anti-stigma campaign which aim to improve important changes at the population level. Recently, she received an ERC Starting grant which investigates how to improve access to care for young people already experiencing or at risk of developing psychiatric disorders. The project, APPLAUSE (Adolescent Precursors to Psychiatric Disorders – Learning from User Service Engagement) is based in the UK and Brazil and looks at the relative value of formal mental health services and informal social and familial support structures in promoting fruitful engagement with care. Previously, she worked as a health care consultant for the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH, USA). She has a PhD in Health Policy and Management, with an emphasis in health services research, from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Sara Evans-Lacko's Publications

Journal Articles

Journal Article

Childhood bullying victimization is associated with use of mental health services over five decades: a longitudinal nationally representative cohort study (2017)

Evans-Lacko S, Takizawa R, Brimblecombe N, King D, Knapp M, Maughan B, Takizawa R

Psychological Medicine 47, 1, 127-135

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Journal Article

Global patterns of workplace productivity for people with depression: absenteeism and presenteeism costs across eight diverse countries (2016)

Evans-Lacko S, Knapp M

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 51, 11, 1525-1537

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Journal Article

Cost of depression in the workplace (2016)

Evans-Lacko S, Knapp M

Mental Health Matters 3, 6, 43-44

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Journal Article

Comment: Lean economies and innovation in mental health systems (2016)

Evans-Lacko S, Ribeiro W, Brietzke E, Knapp M, Mari J, McDaid D, Paula CS, Romeo R, Thornicroft G, Wissow L

The Lancet 387, 10026, 1356-1358

Lancet

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Journal Article

Evaluating the economic impact of screening and treatment for depression in the workplace (2016)

Evans-Lacko S, Koeser L, Knapp M, Longhitano C, Zohar J, Kuhn K

European Neuropsychopharmacology 26, 6, 1004-1013

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Journal Article

The impact of the 2008 economic crisis on substance use patterns in the countries of the European Union (2016)

Dom G, Samochowiec J, Evans-Lacko S, Wahlbeck K, Van Hal G, McDaid D

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 13, 1, 122

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Journal Article

Evidence for effective interventions to reduce mental-health-related stigma and discrimination (2016)

Thornicroft G, Mehta N, Clement S, Evans-Lacko S, Doherty M, Rose D, Koschorke M, Shidhaye R, O’Reilly C, Henderson Claire

The Lancet 387, 10023, 1123-1132

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Journal Article

Mental health research priorities for Europe (2015)

Wykes T, Haro J, Belli S, Obradors-Tarragó C, Arango C, Ayuso-Mateos JL, Bitter I, Brunn M, Chevreul K, Demotes-Mainard J, Elfeddali I, Evans-Lacko S, Fiorillo A, Forsman A, Hazo JB, Kuepper R, Knappe S, Leboyer M, Lewis S, Linszen D, Luciano M, Maj M, McDaid D, Miret M, Papp S

The Lancet Psychiatry 2, 11, 1036-1042

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Journal Article

The role of youth mental health services in the treatment of young people with serious mental illness: two-year outcomes and economic implications (2015)

Brimblecombe N, Knapp M, Murguia S, Mbeah-Banks H, Crane S, Harris A, Evans-Lacko S, Ardino V, Iemmi V, King D

Early Intervention in Psychiatry

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Journal Article

EPA guidance on how to improve the image of psychiatry and of the psychiatrist (2015)

Bhugra D, Sartorius N, Fiorillo A, Evans-Lacko S, Ventriglio A, Hermans M, Vallon P, Dales J, Racetovic G, Samochowiec J, Bennemar MR, Becker T, Kurimay T, Gaebel

European Psychiatry 30, 3, 423-430

Elsevier

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Journal Article

Research priorities of public mental health in Europe: Recommendations of the ROAMER project (2015)

Forsman A, Wahlbeck K, Alonso J, Barry M, Brunn M, Cardoso G, Cattan M, de Girolamo G, Eberhand-Gran M, Evans-Lacko S, Fiorillo A, Hansson L, Haro J, Hazo JB, Hegerl U, Katschnig H, Knappe S, Luciano M, Miret M, Nordentoft M, Pilgrim D, Ruud T, Salize H, Stewart Brown S, Tómasson K, van der Feltz-Cornelis C, Ventus D Vuori J, Värnik A on behalf of the ROAMER Consortium

European Journal of Public Health 25, 2, 249-254

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Journal Article

University students’ identification of stigmatizing schizophrenia in Italian newspapers (2015)

Pingani L, Evans-Lacko S, Del Vecchio V, Luciano M, Catellani S, Hamati A, Rigatelli M, Fiorillo A

American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 85, 2, 139-144

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Journal Article

What is the impact of mental health-related stigma on help-seeking? A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies (2015)

Clement S, Schauman O, Graham T, Maggioni F, Evans-Lacko S, Bezborodovs N, Morgan C, Rüsch N, Brown J, Thornicroft G

Psychological Medicine 45, 1, 11-27

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Journal Article

How much does mental health discrimination cost: Valuing experienced discrimination in relation to healthcare care costs and community participation (2015)

Evans-Lacko S, Clement S, Corker Elizabeth, Brohan E, Dockery L, Farrelly S, Hamilton S, Pinfold V, Rose D, Henderson Claire, Thornicroft G, McCrone P

Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences 24, 5, 423-434

Cambridge University Press

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Journal Article

Mental health service use by young people: the role of caregiver characteristics (2015)

Gronholm P, Ford T, Roberts R, Thornicroft G, Laurens K, Evans-Lacko S

PLoS One 10, 3, e0120004

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Journal Article

Strengthening mental health systems in low and middle-income countries: the EMERALD programme (2015)

Semrau M, Evans-Lacko S, Alem A, Ayuso-Mateos JL, Chisholm D, Gureje O, Hanlon C, Jordans M, Kigozi F, Lempp H, Lund C, Petersen I, Shidhaye R, Thornicroft G

BMC Medicine , 13:79

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Journal Article

Antidepressant use in 27 European countries: associations with socio-demographic, cultural and economic factors (2015)

Lewer D, O’Reilly C, Mojtabai R, Evans-Lacko S

British Journal of Psychiatry 207, 3, 221-226

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Journal Article

Stigma and discrimination related to mental illness in low and middle income countries (2015)

Semrau M, Evans-Lacko S, Koschorke M, Ashenafi L, Thornicroft G

Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences 24, 5, 382-394

Cambridge University Press

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Journal Article

Exploring professional help-seeking for mental disorders (2015)

Savage H, Murray J, Hatch S, Hotopf M, Evans-Lacko S, Brown J

Qualitative Health Research 26, 12, 1662-1673

Sage Journals

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Journal Article

How do child and adolescent mental health problems influence public sector costs? Interindividual variations in a nationally representative British sample (2015)

Knapp M, Snell T, Healey A, Guglani S, Evans-Lacko S, Fernández J-L, Melzer D, Ford T

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 56, 6, 667-676

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Journal Article

Seeking informal and formal help for mental health problems in the community: a secondary analysis from a psychiatric morbidity survey in South London (2014)

Brown J, Evans-Lacko S, Aschan L, Henderson M, Hatch S, Hotopf M

BMC Psychiatry , 14:275

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Journal Article

Viewpoint survey of mental health service users’ experiences of discrimination in England 2008-12 (2014)

Evans-Lacko S, Corker Elizabeth, Williams A, Henderson Claire, Thornicroft G

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 49, 10, 1599-1608

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Journal Article

Collective levels of stigma and national suicide rates in 25 European countries (2014)

Schomerus G, Evans-Lacko S, Rüsch N, Mojtabai R, Angermeyer M, Thornicroft G

Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences 24, 2, 166-171

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Journal Article

Effect of the Time to Change anti-stigma campaign on trends in mental-illness-related public stigma among the English population in 2003–13: an analysis of survey data (2014)

Evans-Lacko S, Corker Elizabeth, Williams A, Henderson Claire, Thornicroft G

The Lancet 1, 2, 121-128

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Journal Article

The Wounded Healer: an effective anti-stigma intervention targeted at the medical profession? (2014)

Hankir A, Zaman R, Evans-Lacko S

Psychiatria Danubina 26, 89-96

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Journal Article

Importance of social and cultural factors for attitudes, disclosure and time off work for depression: findings from a seven country European study on depression in the workplace (2014)

Evans-Lacko S, Knapp M

PLOS One 9, 3, e91053

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Journal Article

The state of the art in European research on reducing social exclusion and stigma related to mental health: a systematic mapping of the literature (2014)

Evans-Lacko S, Courtin E, Fiorillo A, Knapp M, Luciano M, Park A, Brunn M, Byford S, Chevreul K, Forsman A, Gulacsi L, Haro J, Kennelly B, Knappe S, Lai T, Lasalvia A, Miret M, O'Sullivan C, Obradors-Tarragó C, Rüsch N, Sartorius N, Švab V, van Weeghel J, Van Audenhove C, Wahlbeck K, Zlati A, on behalf of the ROAMER Consortium, McDaid D, Thornicroft G

European Psychiatry 29, 6, 381-389

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Journal Article

’Our community is the worst’: the influence of cultural beliefs on stigma, relationships with family, and help seeking in three ethnic communities in London (2013)

Shefer G, Rose D, Nellums L, Thornicroft G, Henderson Claire, Evans-Lacko S

International Journal of Social Psychiatry 59, 6, 535-544

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Journal Article

The impact of exercise projects to promote mental wellbeing (2013)

Malcolm E, Evans-Lacko S, Little K, Henderson Claire, Thornicroft G

Journal of Mental Health 22, 6, 519-527

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Journal Article

Mental illness stigma, help-seeking and public health programmes (2013)

Henderson Claire, Evans-Lacko S, Thornicroft G

American Journal of Public Health 103, 5, 777-780

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Journal Article

The impact of epidemic violence on the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2013)

Ribeiro WS, Mari JJ, Quintana MI, Dewey M, Evans-Lacko S, Vilete LMP, Figueira I, Bressan RA, Mello MF, Prince M, Ferri C, Coutinho ESF, Andreoli SB

Plos One 8, 5

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Journal Article

Anti-stigma training for medical students – the Education not Discrimination project (2013)

Friedrich B, Evans-Lacko S, London J, Rhydderch D, Henderson Claire, Thornicroft G

British Journal of Psychiatry 202, Supplement 55, s89-s94

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Journal Article

Public knowledge, attitudes and behaviour regarding people with mental illness in England 2009-2012 (2013)

Evans-Lacko S, Henderson C, Thornicroft G

British Journal of Psychiatry 202, s51-57

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Journal Article

Economic evaluation of the anti-stigma social marketing campaign in England 2009-2011 (2013)

Evans-Lacko S, Henderson Claire, Thornicroft G, McCrone P

British Journal of Psychiatry 202, Supplement 55, s95-s101

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Journal Article

Influence of Time to Change’s social marketing interventions on stigma in England 2009-2011 (2013)

Evans-Lacko S, Malcolm E, West K, Rose D, London J, Rüsch N, Little K, Henderson Claire, Thornicroft G

British Journal of Psychiatry 55, 77-88

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Journal Article

Disclosure of a mental health problem in the employment context: Qualitative study of beliefs and experiences (2013)

Brohan E, Evans-Lacko S, Henderson Claire, Murray J, Slade M, Thornicroft G

Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences 23, 3, 289-300

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Journal Article

Mass media interventions for reducing mental health-related stigma (2013)

Clement S, Lassman F, Barley E, Evans-Lacko S, Williams A, Yamaguchi S, Slade M, Rüsch N, Thornicroft G

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 7

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Journal Article

ROAMER: roadmap for mental health research in Europe (2013)

Haro J, Ayuso-Mateos JL, Bitter I, Demotes-Mainard J, Leboyer M, Lewis S, Linszen D, Maj M, McDaid D, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Robbins T, Schumann G, Thornicroft G, van der Feltz-Cornelis C, van Os J, Wahlbeck K, Wittchen H, Wykes T, Arango C, Bickenbach J, Brunn M, Cammarata P, Chevreul K, Evans-Lacko S, Finocchiaro C, Fiorillo A, Forsman A, Hazo JB, Knappe S, Kuepper R, Luciano M, Miret M, Obradors-Tarragó C, Pagano G, Papp S, Walker-Tilley T

International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research 23, S1, 1-14

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Journal Article

The mental health consequences of the recession: economic hardship and employment of people with mental health problems in 27 European countries (2013)

Evans-Lacko S, Knapp M, McCrone P, Thornicroft G, Mojtabai R

PLoS ONE 8, 7

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Journal Article

Economic impact of childhood psychiatric disorder on public sector services in Britain: estimates from national survey data (2013)

Snell T, Knapp M, Healey A, Guglani S, Evans-Lacko S, Fernández J-L, Meltzer H, Ford T

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 54, 9, 977-985

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Journal Article

Association between public views of mental illness and self-stigma among individuals with mental illness in 14 European countries (2012)

Evans-Lacko S, Brohan E, Mojtabai R, Thornicroft G

Psychological Medicine 42, 8, 1741-1752

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Journal Article

What is a mental illness? Public views and their effects on attitudes and disclosure (2012)

Rüsch N, Evans-Lacko S, Thornicroft G

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 46, 7, 641-650

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Journal Article

Laypersons’ choices and deliberations for mental health coverage (2012)

Evans-Lacko S, Baum N, Danis M, Biddle A, Goold S

Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research 39, 3, 158-169

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Journal Article

Responses to mental health stigma questions: the importance of social desirability and data collection method (2012)

Henderson Claire, Evans-Lacko S, Flach C, Thornicroft G

Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 57, 3, 152-160

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Journal Article

Strengthening the evidence base to support PSAs (2012)

Evans-Lacko S, Henderson Claire, Thornicroft G

Psychiatric Services 63, 1, 3

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Journal Article

Mass social contact interventions and their effect on mental health related discrimination (2012)

Evans-Lacko S, London J, Japhet S, Rüsch N, Flach C, Corker Elizabeth, Henderson Claire, Thornicroft G

BMC Public Health , 12:489

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Journal Article

A two-year cross-sectional study on the information about schizophrenia divulged by a prestigious daily newspaper (2011)

Dubugras MT, Evans-Lacko S, de Jesus M

Journal of Nervous Mental Disease 199, 9, 659-655

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Journal Article

Knowledge and attitudes as predictors of intentions to seek help for and disclose a mental illness (2011)

Rüsch N, Evans-Lacko S, Henderson Claire, Flach C, Thornicroft G

Psychiatric Services 62, 6, 675-678

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Journal Article

Mental health service use before and after diagnosis of early-onset bipolar disorder (2011)

Evans-Lacko S, dosReis S, Kastelic EA, Riley A

Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research 38, 3, 398-413

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Journal Article

Development and psychometric properties of the reported and intended behaviour scale (RIBS): a stigma-related behaviour measure (2011)

Evans-Lacko S, Rose D, Little K, Flach C, Rhydderch D, Henderson Claire, Thornicroft G

Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences 20, 3, 263-271

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Journal Article

Newspaper coverage of mental illness in the UK, 1992-2008 (2011)

Goulden R, Corker Elizabeth, Evans-Lacko S, Rose D, Thornicroft G, Henderson Claire

BMC Public Health , 11:796

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Journal Article

Development and psychometric properties of the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS) (2010)

Evans-Lacko S, Little K, Meltzer H, Rose D, Rhydderch D, Henderson Claire, Thornicroft G

Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 55, 7, 440-448

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Journal Article

Patterns and predictors of restrictive health care service use by youths with bipolar disorder (2010)

Evans-Lacko S, Spencer CS, Logan J, Riley A

Administration and Policy in Mental Health 37, 5, 379-387

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Journal Article

Evaluation of guideline-concordant care for bipolar disorder among privately insured youth (2010)

Evans-Lacko S, dosReis S, Kastelic EA, Paula C, Steinwachs D

Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 12, 3

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Journal Article

Challenging mental health-related stigma through social contact (2010)

London J, Evans-Lacko S

European Journal of Public Health 20, 2, 130-131

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Journal Article

Stigma among people with dual diagnosis and implications for health services (2010)

Evans-Lacko S, Thornicroft G

Advances in Dual Diagnosis 3, 1, 4-7

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Journal Article

Facilitators and barriers to implementing clinical care pathways (2010)

Evans-Lacko S, Jarrett M, McCrone P, Thornicroft G

BMC Health Services Research 10, 10:182

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Journal Article

Complexity and continuity of treatments among privately-insured youth diagnosed with bipolar disorder (2010)

Evans-Lacko S, Riley A, dosReis Susan

Frontiers in Child and Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry 2, 1, 144

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Journal Article

Evaluation of a brief anti-stigma campaign in Cambridge: do short-term campaigns work? (2010)

Evans-Lacko S, London J, Little K, Henderson Claire, Thornicroft G

BMC Public Health , 10:339

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Journal Article

Medical comorbidity among youth diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the United States (2009)

Evans-Lacko S, Zeber JE, Gonzalez JM, Olvera RL

Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 70, 10, 1461-1466

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Journal Article

Perspectives of intellectual disability in Latin American countries: epidemiology, policy, and services for children and adults (2009)

Mercadante M, Evans-Lacko S, Paula C

Current Opinion in Psychiatry 22, 5, 469-474

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Journal Article

The meaning of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medication and parents' initiation and continuity of treatment for their child (2009)

dosReis S, Mychailyszyn M, Evans-Lacko S, Beltran A, Riley A, Myers MA

Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology 19, 4, 377-383

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Journal Article

Clinical pathways in psychiatry (2008)

Evans-Lacko S, Jarrett M, McCrone P, Thornicroft G

British Journal of Psychiatry 193, 1, 4-7

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Book Sections

Book Section

Healthcare - evaluating the overall system (2017)

Evans-Lacko S, Knapp M

Edward Elgar

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Book Section

Health Economics (2015)

Knapp M, Evans-Lacko S

Wiley-Blackwell

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Reports

Report

Youth Mental Health: New Economic Evidence (2016)

Knapp M, Ardino V, Brimblecombe N, Evans-Lacko S, Iemmi V, King D, Snell T

Personal Social Services Research Unit

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Generic publications

Generic

Child mental health care in Brazil: barriers and achievements. Letter (2012)

Fatori D, Evans-Lacko S, Bordin I, de Paula C

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Unallocateds

Unallocated

Portrayal of schizophrenia in a prestigious newspaper in Brazil (2011)

Dubugras MT, Evans-Lacko S, de Jesus M

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Unallocated

Comment on the evaluation of the Time to Change anti-stigma campaign (2010)

Evans-Lacko S, Rose D, Henderson Claire, Thornicroft G

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