Mental Health Status of Adolescents in South-East Asia Region.
Mental health and substance use disorders are one of the biggest and prominent contributors to the regional and global burden of disease. If we look at the overall scenario, more than 6% of the global burden of disease is attributed to these disorders. As stated by World Health Organization's Global Health Estimates 2015, self-harm or suicides was the second most common cause of mortality after road accident injuries among the people of age group of 15-29 years in the region of South East Asia. Now these days, there is a dual form challenge which presented by Mental Health Problems.
First is Public Health and second is Development issue in low and middle income countries and may be central to achieve different Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Proper addressal mechanism and recognition criteria of mental health needs will help a lot to young people in the long run to function better academically, socially and vocationally and will develop them to become adjust-able and productive adults. The most urgent task in adolescent mental health is improving addressal mechanism and expanding the evidence base, particularly in resource constrained countries. The evidence is not only required for informing about policies and programmes, but it will also help to create public awareness of mental health issues and mobilization of social support for adolescents.
The theme of World Health Day 2017 was Depression. The campaign slogan was Depression: Let's Talk. Taking "depression" at the central verge and making it theme of World Health Day acknowledged the public health, especially the importance of mental health issues and particularly about depression. This signified that it is the time when we have to come to together and break all the barriers to not only to talk but also discuss various possible ways to fight out the disease like "depression". The theme is an open invitation to all to come forward for this noble cause and take it as a global challenge.
It recognized the burden of mental health on individuals, families and communities. Adolescence is the period of time between 10 and 19 years of age, and it is the phase of transformation and transition from a child into an adult. In this phase, there are various types of changes occurred in one's life such as behavioural, physical and psychological changes.
According to an estimate by WHO South East Region tells that adolescents comprises an important demographic and social group, accounting for almost one-fifth or 18.8% (362.2 Million individuals) of the total regional population (UN Population Prospects, 2016). Of this, 13-17 years old comprise 181 Million or nearly one-tenth (9.4%) of total regional population (UN Population Prospects,2016).
In the future, the group may account for even a larger share of the total population as fertility rates decline further. As stated in an estimate that mental health problems are going to affect 10-20% of children and adolescents worldwide, accounting for 15-30% of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) lost during the first three decades ( Kieling, Baker-Henningham et al 2011). The estimates suicide rates per 100,000 population in the age group varying from 3.6 in Indonesia to 25.8 in Nepal to 35.5 in India (WHO 2014). However, the reported suicides rate in the countries may be much lower due to stigma, social taboos and other legal issues around reporting of suicide, and hence, it may significantly underestimate the problem.
Stigma of both kinds- Mental and Social laid down hindrance for psychological and psychiatric services. Mental health issues such anxiety, depression or other situations may lead to behavioural problems at home, school, college or other places, increased participation in risk taking behaviours, such as tobacco chewing, alcohol drinking and drug use, and underachievement in academics.
However, these sensitive issues are rarely addressed in schools, colleges, other institutions and within families. The failures to recognize and address mental health issues in children and adolescents is a serious public health problem with significant consequences on the achievement of Basic Development Goals (BDGs) in low and middle income countries. This becomes even more important in the context of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDG Target 3.4 under SDG goal 3 calls for reducing premature mortality by one-third by 2030 from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment of NCDs and promotion of mental health and well being.
Similarly, the SDG Target 3.5 call for strengthening prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol. There is a multi-directional linkages between health, educational, social, development and mental health problems, there may be high return investments for addressing mental health issues of adolescents.
Source :
World Health Organization
South-East Asia Region
United Nations Organizatiom
Mental health and substance use disorders are one of the biggest and prominent contributors to the regional and global burden of disease. If we look at the overall scenario, more than 6% of the global burden of disease is attributed to these disorders. As stated by World Health Organization's Global Health Estimates 2015, self-harm or suicides was the second most common cause of mortality after road accident injuries among the people of age group of 15-29 years in the region of South East Asia. Now these days, there is a dual form challenge which presented by Mental Health Problems.
First is Public Health and second is Development issue in low and middle income countries and may be central to achieve different Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Proper addressal mechanism and recognition criteria of mental health needs will help a lot to young people in the long run to function better academically, socially and vocationally and will develop them to become adjust-able and productive adults. The most urgent task in adolescent mental health is improving addressal mechanism and expanding the evidence base, particularly in resource constrained countries. The evidence is not only required for informing about policies and programmes, but it will also help to create public awareness of mental health issues and mobilization of social support for adolescents.
The theme of World Health Day 2017 was Depression. The campaign slogan was Depression: Let's Talk. Taking "depression" at the central verge and making it theme of World Health Day acknowledged the public health, especially the importance of mental health issues and particularly about depression. This signified that it is the time when we have to come to together and break all the barriers to not only to talk but also discuss various possible ways to fight out the disease like "depression". The theme is an open invitation to all to come forward for this noble cause and take it as a global challenge.
It recognized the burden of mental health on individuals, families and communities. Adolescence is the period of time between 10 and 19 years of age, and it is the phase of transformation and transition from a child into an adult. In this phase, there are various types of changes occurred in one's life such as behavioural, physical and psychological changes.
According to an estimate by WHO South East Region tells that adolescents comprises an important demographic and social group, accounting for almost one-fifth or 18.8% (362.2 Million individuals) of the total regional population (UN Population Prospects, 2016). Of this, 13-17 years old comprise 181 Million or nearly one-tenth (9.4%) of total regional population (UN Population Prospects,2016).
In the future, the group may account for even a larger share of the total population as fertility rates decline further. As stated in an estimate that mental health problems are going to affect 10-20% of children and adolescents worldwide, accounting for 15-30% of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) lost during the first three decades ( Kieling, Baker-Henningham et al 2011). The estimates suicide rates per 100,000 population in the age group varying from 3.6 in Indonesia to 25.8 in Nepal to 35.5 in India (WHO 2014). However, the reported suicides rate in the countries may be much lower due to stigma, social taboos and other legal issues around reporting of suicide, and hence, it may significantly underestimate the problem.
Stigma of both kinds- Mental and Social laid down hindrance for psychological and psychiatric services. Mental health issues such anxiety, depression or other situations may lead to behavioural problems at home, school, college or other places, increased participation in risk taking behaviours, such as tobacco chewing, alcohol drinking and drug use, and underachievement in academics.
However, these sensitive issues are rarely addressed in schools, colleges, other institutions and within families. The failures to recognize and address mental health issues in children and adolescents is a serious public health problem with significant consequences on the achievement of Basic Development Goals (BDGs) in low and middle income countries. This becomes even more important in the context of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDG Target 3.4 under SDG goal 3 calls for reducing premature mortality by one-third by 2030 from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment of NCDs and promotion of mental health and well being.
Similarly, the SDG Target 3.5 call for strengthening prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol. There is a multi-directional linkages between health, educational, social, development and mental health problems, there may be high return investments for addressing mental health issues of adolescents.
Source :
World Health Organization
South-East Asia Region
United Nations Organizatiom
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