An attempt is made in this paper to assess impact of urbanization on mental health in South Asian countries using the available reports and secondary data.
South Asian countries are developing economies with significant proportion of population poor and vulnerable. Higher burden of disease and over stretched primary health care delivery system make the people more vulnerable with regard to mental health. Urbanisation affects vulnerable urban population - elderly, children, adolescents, and women.
Rapid urbanisation led to creation of fringe population that lives from hand to mouth and pushing them towards poverty. Poverty and mental health have complex and multidimensional relationship. Urban population is affected by changes in cultural dynamics that lead to mental health issues.
Determinants of urban mental health include increased speed and decreased costs of communication and transportation, exceeding human capabilities to live under conditions of security and mutual support and concern, scale of urban life leading to anonymity, indifference, and narrow self interest, growing fear, powerlessness, and anger of urban residents. The multiculturalism of cities contributes to increased tolerance, better quality of life, and socio cultural stimulation but it also contributes to heightened social tensions, inter ethnic striving, and cultural conflicts, that have mental health implications.
Most migrants come from rural areas and bringing with them values, beliefs, and expectations about mental health with them that are different from the ones they encounter in their new location. Migrants face isolation, poor health, poverty, unemployment, and inadequate housing.
This region faces social, economic, and health challenges, including pervasive inequality, violence, political instability, limited resources, higher burden of disease, already compromised primary health care delivery system, stigma associated with mental illness, poverty, and illiteracy.
There is need for research on mental health of migrants and policy in terms of judicious use of resources, and balanced approach to development.
IV. Behaviors 4.1 Mobilities and health 4.2 Spatial analysis of substance abuse and treatm