Future of Rural Living and Impact on Mental Health

Abstract

As is evident from this volume, practice of psychiatry in rural areas carries with it certain imperatives. Firstly, there is clear variation in incidence and prevalence of various psychiatric disorders in comparison with urban data. Secondly, the availability of human resources and services in rural areas is often poor with difficulties to access services. Thus, the duration of untreated symptoms is likely to be high leading to poor outcomes. Another complicating factor is massive rise in urban sprawls with people moving from rural areas to gain employment thereby often leaving older individuals behind and isolated. Future aspects of improving practice of rural psychiatry must take into account digital psychiatry, integrated psychiatric care between primary and secondary care. These changes are also important factors in developing training modules and packages for the next generation of psychiatrists.