Indian households reaching poverty status due to mental illness expenses, study
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Mental health issues in India are now not only creating a negative impact on health but is also proving to be a strain on household finances.
As per a new study by the Indian Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR), approximately 20.7% of Indian households are pushed into the “poor” status due to heavy expenses incurred for mental health treatments. Based on an estimation of out-of-pocket expenses (OOPE) and catastrophic health expenditure (CHE), the study found that 18.1% of the participants’ monthly expenses were directed toward mental healthcare.
OOPE refers to money paid from one’s own resources.
CHE refers to health and medical expenses that go beyond a household’s ability to pay.
The study analyzed the monthly expenses of individuals who were a part of the 2018 “Persons with Disabilities in India Survey” and found that as much as 59.5% of households were vulnerable to CHE based on a 10% threshold. About 22.5% of the households that slid into poverty were from the rural areas while 17% were from urban areas.
The study reveals that “a higher proportion of the people with mental illness is seen in the economically productive age group (19–55 years)”
According to a study published by Cosmos Institute of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences (CIMBS), and World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), 1 in 6 Indians live with mental health issues but are unaware of it.
“Even among those who had close interactions with a person with mental illness, 35% thought mental health issues were uncommon suggesting conversations on mental illness remain taboo,” said Dr. Sunil Mittal, the principal investigator of the study.
Due to the lack of awareness, prevalence of stigma, and other factors, treatment is often delayed, which leads to higher expenses.
The authors of the IIHMR study conclude that “there is a critical need to accelerate on ground various measures for the early diagnosis and management of mental health issues in order to reduce OOPE, CHE, and poverty impact due to healthcare expenditure on mental illness among households in India.”
We hope this happens sooner than later.
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