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Culture and Mental Health Care in Asia-Pacific Rural Communities

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Mental Health and Illness in Rural World

Part of the book series: Mental Health and Illness Worldwide ((MHIW))

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Abstract

This chapter focuses on mental health care of rural communities in the vast Asia-Pacific region. The myriad cultures of this colorful part of the world are a boon to the tourism industry, but beyond the opulent holiday resorts are meagre health services and deficient mental health care. The primary health professionals like family doctors or nurses provide care for the mentally ill. In these rural districts, the traditional healers have a pivotal role from time immemorial, and psychiatric patients seek their help because they share the same sociocultural beliefs of health and illness.

There is a dearth of data on mental disorders of rural communities in Asia-Pacific countries. Provision of mental health care in these communities is challenging, and the care of the mentally ill is now more critical with the migration of young people to the cities and overseas for better wages. The family with aged parents is the main caregiver.

Educational programs through e-learning can upgrade skills of the primary health team in mental health care, and the digital technology can be a platform for preventive psychiatry in these rural communities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychological Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Ee Heok Kua

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  1. Ee Heok Kua
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Correspondence to Ee Heok Kua .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. N Inst. of Mental Health & Neurosciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

    Santosh Chaturvedi

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Kua, E.H. (2020). Culture and Mental Health Care in Asia-Pacific Rural Communities. In: Chaturvedi, S. (eds) Mental Health and Illness in Rural World. Mental Health and Illness Worldwide. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0751-4_33-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0751-4_33-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-981-10-0751-4

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