OBJECTIVE: Despite the need to have adolescent-centric policies and mental health services, India is yet far from having one. The authors aimed at generating opinions on the need to have adolescent focused policies and clinical services using the data on Anxiety Disorders they collected from the community. METHODS: This qualitative study used Focus Group Discussions (FGD) to generate opinions on the various needs to enhance better mental health services and policies for adolescents in India. A Modified Delphi technique was used with experts in mental health to prioritize these needs. Experts gave their plans on how to approach the needs during the in-depth interviews. RESULTS: The mental health professionals viewed scaled-up mental health services to include adolescent mental health services; improve the consumer opinion about public sector health providers; strengthening the government hospitals; capacity building among the health sector and non-health sector; research in service delivery models and policy changes as the needs. The parents felt the need to address the stigma associated with their children's mental illness, minimize the barriers in approaching mental health services and involve non-medical agencies in mental health care. These needs were prioritized and solutions to these problems were discussed. CONCLUSIONS: India-centric and adolescent specific mental health policies and services need to be developed as well as integrated into the existing health system in India.
OBJECTIVE: Despite the need to have adolescent-centric policies and mental health services, India is yet far from having one. The authors aimed at generating opinions on the need to have adolescent focused policies and clinical services using the data on Anxiety Disorders they collected from the community. METHODS: This qualitative study used Focus Group Discussions (FGD) to generate opinions on the various needs to enhance better mental health services and policies for adolescents in India. A Modified Delphi technique was used with experts in mental health to prioritize these needs. Experts gave their plans on how to approach the needs during the in-depth interviews. RESULTS: The mental health professionals viewed scaled-up mental health services to include adolescent mental health services; improve the consumer opinion about public sector health providers; strengthening the government hospitals; capacity building among the health sector and non-health sector; research in service delivery models and policy changes as the needs. The parents felt the need to address the stigma associated with their children's mental illness, minimize the barriers in approaching mental health services and involve non-medical agencies in mental health care. These needs were prioritized and solutions to these problems were discussed. CONCLUSIONS: India-centric and adolescent specific mental health policies and services need to be developed as well as integrated into the existing health system in India.
Authors: Maree Teesson; Philip B Mitchell; Mark Deady; Sonja Memedovic; Tim Slade; Andrew Baillie Journal: Aust N Z J Psychiatry Date: 2011-10-03 Impact factor: 5.744
Authors: Shoba Srinath; Satish Chandra Girimaji; G Gururaj; Shekhar Seshadri; D K Subbakrishna; Poornima Bhola; Narender Kumar Journal: Indian J Med Res Date: 2005-07 Impact factor: 2.375