NEW DELHI: After a gap of nine years, the central government has launched a new national mental health survey to assess the extent of mental illness across India and expanded its coverage to all states and UTs for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic. The National Mental Health Survey-2 (NMHS-2), conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans), Bengaluru, will cover adolescents aged 13 to 17 years and all adults above 18 years. The previous survey, conducted in 2015-16, covered only 12 states.Data from the previous NMHS underscored the magnitude of the challenge. NMHS 2015-16 revealed that 10.6% of adults in India suffered from mental disorders, with the lifetime prevalence estimated at 13.7%. National studies have since shown that nearly 15% of India’s adult population suffers from mental health conditions requiring clinical intervention. In urban areas, the burden was higher at 13.5%, compared to 6.9% in rural areas.According to the Department of Health and Human Services, NMHS-2 will produce state and national estimates of priority mental health conditions, assess disabilities and social and economic burden on individuals and families, and track pathways to care and service utilization. The survey will also include comprehensive mapping of mental health services and resources in the states and UTs.The scope of NMHS-2 has been expanded to examine vulnerable groups such as children, women, the elderly, migrants, and tribal populations, and to examine the mental health impacts of climate change, disasters, and displacement.Health officials said the findings are expected to strengthen the National Mental Health Program, guide resource allocation and influence future policy decisions, particularly in underserved and high-risk regions.
