Dysphrenia. 2013;4:7-11.

Rural mental health in India.

Sahu KK, Sahu S.

 

Abstract 

 

The literature on differences in mental health between urban and rural settings is inconclusive. Rural and remote communities have been identified as population groups deprived for mental health care services. In India 68.84 per cent of population lives in rural areas, with only about 25 per cent of the health infrastructure, medical man power and other health resources. Against the huge need for mental health services in India there is scarcity of trained manpower. Origins of the rural mental health in India can be traced in way back and subsequently implementation of the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) and the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) aimed to enhance basic mental health care in rural areas, mental health care expanded steadily across the country. However published papers and independent evaluation of the DMHP indicates it is, ineffective in practice to a large extent. The limited success of the NMHP and the community mental health movement has to be recognised and accepted. Nongovernmental organisations, using a variety of community-oriented care programmes using various strategies that have been employed in community care have attempted to utilise existing community resources and demonstrated the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of the community outreach programs for persons with mental illness. It is also doubtful, whether the existing programme can take care of such a complex unmet rural mental health needs.

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