New phase of national mental health survey to cover over 1,500 households in Union Territory

National Mental Health Survey-2 in Puducherry aims to estimate mental health prevalence, identify treatment gaps, and guide policy decisions.

The National Mental Health Survey-2 (NMHS-2) has been launched for the Union Territory of Puducherry to estimate prevalence of critical mental health issues and identify treatment gaps in the community.

The NMHS-2, which was formally launched recently at Jipmer, is a nationwide initiative by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and implemented by NIMHANS, Bengaluru, that will formulate State-level estimates of mental health conditions, with a focus on prevalence of critical issues such as depression, suicide and substance abuse.

The survey, which will be a collaborative effort between Jipmer and State Health Mission, will deploy trained staff to visit 1,530 households in Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam to collect data from community members, a press note from Jipmer said.

The NMHS-2, which has been expanded to cover all the States and Union Territories to make it more representative of the Indian population, will also identify gaps in mental health services, enabling policymakers to allocate resources more effectively and ensure comprehensive care for those in need.

The survey was launched by outgoing Director of Health S. Sevvel at a function held under the auspices of the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine and Psychiatry, in the presence of D. M. Thappa, Jipmer Dean of Research, and Balan Ponmani Stephen, psychiatry specialist.

The survey findings are expected to quantify burden, guide future policies, strengthen mental health services, and help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness, Jipmer said.