Discuss about the Fountainhead to Improve Help Seeking Behaviour.
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.
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.
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
Chavan, B.S., Gupta, N., Arun, P., Sidana, A. and Jadhav, S.(2012) Community mental health in India. Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Limited.
Coward, R. T. (2006). Rural Women’s Health: Mental, Behavioral, And Physical available at:Issues. New York, NY, Springer. Http://Public.Eblib.Com/Choice/Publicfullrecord.Aspx?p=423222. accessed (15 April 2018)
Gaur, K., & Ram, U. (2016). Mental Health Problems Among Youth In India And Its Correlates. International Journal Of Human Rights In Healthcare. Available at:Https://Nls.Ldls.Org.Uk/Welcome.Html?Ark:/81055/Vdc_100032413505.0x00000a. (Accessed 14 April 2018)
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 Improve Help-Seeking Behaviour. Journal Of Public Mental Health. Available at:Https://Nls.Ldls.Org.Uk/Welcome.Html?Ark:/81055/Vdc_100051742257.0x000016.(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 Perspectives.Available at:Https://Nls.Ldls.Org.Uk/Welcome.Html?Ark:/81055/Vdc_100030753492.0x000001.(Accessed 15 April 2018)
Strengthening Primary Health Care Through Asha Workers: A Novel Approach In India. (2014). Primary Health Care: Open Access, 04(01).
Thornicroft, G. (2006). Shunned: Discrimination Against People With Mental Illness. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Thornicroft, G. (2008). Stigma And Discrimination Limit Access To Mental Health Care. Epidemiologia e Psichiatria Sociale, 17(01), Pp.14-19.
World Health Organization. (2009). Pharmacological Treatment Of Mental Disorders In Primary Health Care. Geneva, World Health Organization.
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