Citation

Chua SN. Lancet Psychiatry 2020; 7(4): e23.

Affiliation

Nanyang Technological University, National Institute of Education Singapore, Singapore. Electronic address: sookning.chua@nie.edu.sg.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30091-2

PMID

32199512

Abstract

The India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative Mental Disorders Collaborators reported in The Lancet Psychiatry a significant increase of the prevalence of mental disorders in India but pointed out that there were substantial barriers to implementing mental health services.1
This scenario is not unique to India. The prevalence of mental health issues in Malaysia has tripled from 10·7 in 1996 to 29·2 in 2016.2
In 2017, depressive (2·26% of total disability-adjusted life-years) and anxiety disorders (1·71% of total disability-adjusted life-years) were found to be among the top contributors to disability in Malaysia.3
However, the number of mental health care professionals is worryingly low with a ratio of one psychiatrist per 100 000, and only 15 clinical psychologists were employed in the public health service sector in 2018.4
Estimates of the effect of poor mental health on the Malaysian economy in 2018, for which we used methods published elsewhere, highlights the urgent need to change the status quo ...

Language: en