Abstract

This book appeals to a wide audience including professionals from psychiatry, psychology, psychiatric social work, public health, health policy, social sciences including medical anthropology, and those involved with human rights and legal aspects of community mental health. It is a first comprehensive book on Community Mental Health in India. It addresses multiple and diverse aspects of public mental health including history, prevention of mental disorder, role of gender, stigma, legislation and psychoeducation; learning disability, child, adult and old age perspectives; mental health emergencies in the community, medical anthropology including eco-psychiatry, farmer suicides, and homelessness; patient and carer perspectives; and clinical and research strategies. It ensures that the voices of multiple stakeholders for providing health care in the community are represented. In doing so, the book steers clear of generating a simplistic linear and homogeneous history. It traces multiple and diverse paths in the development and practice of community mental health in India from both within and outside the profession. Offers an appreciation of both rural and urban sensitivities; and addresses both local and global dimensions of mental health in the community. It establishes a dialogue between mental health and social sciences within India.