Citation

Nicholson LA. Adv. Psychiatr. Treat. 2008; 14(4): 302-311.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Royal College of Psychiatrists)

DOI

10.1192/apt.bp.107.005009

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A significant proportion of people live and work in rural areas, and rural mental health is important wherever psychiatry is practised. There are inherent difficulties in conducting rural research, due in part to the lack of an agreed definition of rurality. Mental health is probably better in rural areas, with the exception of suicide, which remains highest in male rural residents. A number of aspects of rural life (such as the rural community, social networks, problems with access, and social exclusion) may all have particular implications for people with mental health problems. Further issues such as the effect of rural culture on help-seeking for mental illness, anonymity in small rural communities and stigma may further affect the recognition, treatment and maintenance of mental health problems for people in rural areas. Providing mental health services to remote and rural locations may be challenging.

Language: en

Keywords

human; social network; privacy; social isolation; article; rural area; mental disease; health care delivery; socioeconomics; community care; health care access; health care availability; mental health service; geographic distribution; health care cost; urban rural difference; social life; rural health care; help seeking behavior; economic evaluation; social discrimination; health care distribution; patient decision making; mental health research; health care personnel management