Prevalence, pattern and determinants of mental disorders in rural Bangladesh.

Objectives: Very few studies have examined mental health morbidity in Bangladesh. This community-based study of rural Bangladesh in 2000-2001 estimated the burden of mental morbidity among rural people of working age.

Study Design And Methods: Community surveys were conducted with one respondent from each household of three selected villages in the service provision area of a non-profit public health organization. General Health Questionnaire 60 (GHQ-60) was used as a screening tool in Stage I, and clinical examination by a Western-trained psychiatrist was undertaken for concurrent validation in Stage II.

Results: The overall prevalence of psychiatric disorders in this rural area was 16.5%. Depressive disorders and anxiety disorders constituted about one-half and one-third of the total cases, respectively. A significantly higher prevalence of mental disorders was found in the economically poor respondents, those over 45 years of age, and women from large families.

Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders in rural Bangladesh. These findings should aid the planning of locally relevant and appropriate mental healthcare programmes. There is an urgent need for a national mental healthcare policy that strengthens primary mental healthcare services.