1 in 7 in India suffered from mental disorder in 2017

Dec 26, 2019 15:06 IST

One in every seven persons in India suffered from a mental disorder in 2017, according to a study published in the journal Lancet psychiatry. Led by the India State-level Disease Burden initiative, the study states that depression and anxiety were the most common mental disorders. The contribution of mental disorders to the overall disease burden has doubled between 1990 and 2017. The study noted that the prevalence of depression and anxiety is higher in women and in the Southern states. The paper urges stakeholders and policy makers to prioritise mental health and enable greater health care access to all members of society.