Investigating Discrimination & Mental Health Access in Rural India

This report investigates the impact of discrimination on access to mental health services in rural communities in India. It utilizes secondary data from books, journals, theses, dissertations, and online databases like the Indian Ministry of Health and WHO, focusing on research conducted between 2006 and 2017. The study reveals that discrimination in rural India significantly hinders access to medical care for individuals with mental health issues, leading to neglect by family members, verbal abuse at health facilities, and concealment of illnesses due to societal stigma. Furthermore, discrimination extends to employment opportunities, affecting patients' financial capacity to afford quality medical care. The report concludes that policies are needed to reduce discrimination, community sensitization is crucial, and community-based interventions can improve access to mental health care in rural India.

HEALTH AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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Introduction...............................................................................................................................................2
Methodology..............................................................................................................................................2
Results and analysis...................................................................................................................................3
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................................5
References..................................................................................................................................................6

Introduction
Discrimination is rife among patients with mental illnesses in India and even globally.
Discrimination among patients with mental illnesses takes many shapes and patients experience a
lot of stress due to discrimination. It comes from family, friends and the society in general.
Discrimination is defined as unjust or prejudicial treatment of people because of their differences
or perceived weaknesses (Thornicroft,2006). Discrimination can take many forms such as race,
age, sex or health status. Discrimination against mentally ill patients is very common in India
with more than 87% of patients suffering from mental health facing discrimination (Gaur& Ram,
2016). A Significant social distance exists between the person experiencing mental health
problems because people see patients suffering from mental illnesses as being different and they
treat them differently. In India, more than 57% of men with mental illness issues are reported to
be unmarried (World Health Organization,2009). In addition to this, more than 86% of people
with mental illnesses find it difficult to secure a job (Gaur& Ram, 2016).This underlines the
extent of of this discrimination.The aim of this study is to understand the effects that
discrimination has on mental patients access to health care.
Methodology
The study was carried out using secondary sources of data. the data was collected from books,
journals as well as thesis and dissertations. Online sources of data especially from the Indian
ministry of health database were a major source of data used in this study. The other database
used is the one belonging to the World Health Organization.Past research conducted by various
researchers has provides statistical information on the level of discrimination against people with
mental illnesses (Coward, 2006). The research was conducted between the 2006 and 2017. The
duration of the research was chosen in order to collect data that is substantial to provide accurate
insight into the effect of discrimination for a long period of time. Data for the period chosen will
help provide most recent information on discrimination against people with mental illnesses and

how it affects the individuals and their families (Mathur Gaiha, Sunil, Kumar, Menon, Caan&
Knifton, 2014).Twenty articles were initially reviewed when preparing for this study The
exclusion or inclusion criteria used in the selection of journal articles used in the research is on
the basis of quality and relevance of the articles to the study.Ten articles used in this research
were chosen based on the authenticity of the sources used as well as the relevance of the articles
to this specific study.Data analysis was conducted using thematic analysis criteria. This criterion
involves pinpointing, examining and recording patterns.
Results and analysis
Discrimination in rural areas in India is very common compared to the urban areas. People with
mental health issues face a lot of difficulties in accessing medical care due to discrimination.
People with mental illnesses are neglected by close family members. According to research, 46%
of people with mental health issues in India are neglected by their family members (Chavan,
2012). When the mental health patients are neglected, the family members do not want to be
associated with them. They do not take the patients to the hospital when they need medication
and hence affecting their access to medical care. People experiencing mental health issues cannot
be able to make decisions regarding health on their own and hence when they lack someone to
take them to the hospital, they end up suffering a lot.
Discrimination by close family and friends worsens the health of a mental health patient. This is
because it brings about stress which may end up becoming a depression. The psychological
effects that discrimination has on the patient makes it difficult for the patient to receive the
required medical care (Chavan, Gupta, Arun, Sidana and Jadhav, 2012) . Without the moral
support of family and friends, it is difficult for the patient to receive treatment.
According to (Ruiz & Primm, 2012) mental health patients may get discouraged from seeking
medical care due to the discrimination they experience when they visit health centers.Mental
health patients get a lot of attention when they visit health facilities. Some people verbally abuse
the mental health patients and they irritate the patients a lot. The patient develops a fear of being

seen in the facility when this trend continues. Due to this reason, the patient may refuse to attend
hospital to receive medical care.
In India, the rural communities view patients experiencing mental health problems
negatively.Most of the people in the community believe that they are either cursed or may have
stolen from someone and that`s why are mentally ill. This myths and misconception make it
difficult for these people to fit in the society. Therefore, people suffering from mental diseases
try to conceal the disease. A person may stay for a very long period without seeking medical
attention fearing that people will know he/she has mental health problems (Mcnally, 2011). The
belief that a family that has a person experiencing mental illness is cursed has made many
families in rural India trying to hide their relatives from the public. This is due to fear
humiliation. Some families go to the extent of keeping the person enclosed in rooms where they
cannot interact with other persons. The patient is not taken to the hospital to receive medical
attention since the family members do not want people to know that one of their own is mentally
ill (Gaur, Ram, 2016). This, therefore, affects the patients` access to medical care.
There are medical professionals in rural areas who discriminate people with mental illnesses.
This happens especially when the healthcare worker is inadequately trained and hence do not
know how to deal with people suffering from mental illnesses. When mental health patients visit
health facilities where they get unfairly treated by the medical officers, they develop fear and
may not be interested in seeking medical care again. This form of discrimination is very common
in rural India. Many hospitals in the rural areas do not specialize in mental health. Therefore,
when a patient who is mentally sick visits these facilities, they are not given the care that they
need. There are also many cases where mental patients get dismissed for being mad and they end
up being denied medical care(Thornicroft, 2008).
Another effect of discrimination on access to mental health care in rural India is that people with
mental illnesses are discriminated against when it comes to getting employment. This factor is
very crucial since finance is crucial in getting quality medical care. Research indicates that
approximately 67% of people with mental health problems find it difficult to secure a job (World
Health Organization, 2009). Research also indicates that most people lose their jobs in rural India
once they experience mental health issues despite being able to perform their job functions
without any problem. It, therefore, means that most of the patients are unemployed and they

don’t have a source of income. This makes it difficult for the patients to access medical care
since money is required in order to get quality mental health care(Strengthening Primary Health
Care Through Asha Workers: A Novel Approach in India, 2014). The economic background of
most families in rural India is poor and hence making it difficult for a patient to get financial
backing from the family. This, therefore, affects access to health care. What I plan to do next is
identify ways in which access to health care for people with mental illnesses can be improved in
rural India.
Conclusion
The study shows that discrimination has had a huge impact on access to mental health care.
Policies need to be developed in order to reduce the discrimination that mental health patients
face in rural India. In addition, it is important to carry out community sensitization on mental
health. This will go a long way in helping the rural community understand mental illnesses and
the importance of supporting people with mental health issues. Access to mental health care can
also be improved through community-based intervention where programs and campaigns will be
started to encourage people with mental health issues to come out and seek treatment.

References
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Gaur, K., & Ram, U. (2016). Mental Health Problems Among Youth In India And Its Correlates.
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Mathur Gaiha, S., Sunil, G. A., Kumar, R., Menon, S., Caan, W., & Knifton, L.
(2014).Enhancing Mental Health Literacy In India To Reduce Stigma: The Fountainhead To
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(Accessed 14 April 2018)
Mcnally, R. J. (2011). What Is Mental Illness? Cambridge, Mass, Belknap Press Of Harvard
University Press.
Ruiz, P., & Primm, A. (2012). Disparities In Psychiatric Care: Clinical And Cross-Cultural
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Thornicroft, G. (2006). Shunned: Discrimination Against People With Mental Illness. Oxford,
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Thornicroft, G. (2008). Stigma And Discrimination Limit Access To Mental Health Care.
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