DIFFERENCES IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES UTILISATION ACROSS CASTE AND GENDER: A STATISTICAL STUDY FROM CENTRAL INSTITUTE OF PSYCHIATRY abstract

Background: In India mental health service utilisation is still not symmetrical to all sections of the people. Despite significant progress in the field of public health as well as mental health still many people tend to refrain from availing scientific mental health service and treatment modes. There are observable differences in using of tertiary mental health services among people of different castes, gender and socio-economic backgrounds. Aims and objectives: This study is an endeavor to see the Disparities in Mental Health Services Utilisation Across Caste and Gender in a tertiary mental health facility located in the Eastern Region of the India. Methodology: This study is retrospective in nature. This study is based on a retrospective analysis of routinely recorded patients’ related clinical data collected during 2012 and 2021.Results: In the present study, it was noted that, within the span of 10 years, there is more than 28% increase in patients’ registration at OPD level. In the present study, it was noted that, in case of new as well as follow-up cases males have always constituted an overwhelming majority than females. Conclusions: In the context of new cases (patients coming to the Institute for the first time), the number of male patients almost doubled during 2012 to 2021 and at the time of follow-up, this difference was seen to further increase to nearly 2½ times.