Economic Survey 2023-24 highlighted an increase in Mental Health Issues among Indians | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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Economic Survey 2023-24 highlighted an increase in Mental Health Issues among Indians

Posted 23 Jul 2024

2 min read

Mental health is a state of mental well-being enabling people to cope with stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community.

Prevalence of Mental Health Issues

  • According to survey, 10.6% of adults in India suffer from mental disorders, while treatment gap for mental disorders ranged between 70 to 92% for different disorders. (National Mental Health Survey 2015-16).
  • Higher rates of mental health issues in urban areas as compared to rural areas and urban non-metro regions.
  • In 2019, one in every eight people (or 970 million people globally) were living with a mental disorder. (WHO)

Factors affecting Mental Health

  • Poverty via stressful living conditions, financial instability, and lack of employment opportunities.
  • Rise in nuclear family, leads to psychological issues in elders due to lack of support system.

Impact 

  • Reduced concentration among children’s (37%), due to overuse of smartphone, internet. (NCPCR)
  • Reduce productivity in academics due to anxiety, mood swings etc. 
  • Rising healthcare costs places an increased burden on poor households.

Suggestions to tackle Mental Health Issues

  • Increase number of psychiatrists, from 0.75 psychiatrists per lakh population in 2021 to 3 per lakh population (WHO norm).
  • Advocating for a bottom-up strategy engaging communities comprehensively.

Initiatives taken to promote Mental Health

India

  • Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele- MANAS).
  • Manodarpan, to provide psychosocial support to students during COVID-19 and beyond.
  • National Mental Health Programme to ensure availability and accessibility of minimum mental healthcare for all.

Global

  • Adoption of Paro Declaration, to provide universal Access to People-centred Mental Health Care and Services.
  • Mental Health Gap Action Programme by WHO to scale up services for mental, neurological and substance use disorders.
  • Tags :
  • Mental Health
  • Paro Declaration
  • Economic Survey 2023-24
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