The treatment gap

A treatment gap in mental health is observed globally, and is particularly wide in low- and middle-income countries.

The treatment gap refers to the difference between the number of individuals in need of mental health treatment and that of those who have access to such effective and appropriate care options. Worldwide, a lack of resources, in addition to stigma, armed conflict and other contextual factors, contributes to the persistence of disparities in the access to mental health care. To demonstrate, with a population of over 1.3 billion people and approximately 3,600 psychiatrists, India is facing a significant mental health treatment gap (Gilmoor et al., 2019).

Urgent action is needed to reduce the human suffering and the healthcare gap associated with mental disorders worldwide. This requires innovations in prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment for PTSD, among other mental health conditions. Take some time to think about what is needed to address the wide treatment gap associated with PTSD care across the globe.

References

^{Gilmoor, A. R., Adithy, A., & Regeer, B. (2019). The cross-cultural validity of post-traumatic stress disorder and post-traumatic stress symptoms in the Indian context: A systematic search and review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10(439), 1-24. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00439}