National Mental Health Survey report

Despite a dip in suicide rate in the last decade, Kerala continues to have a high rate of suicide risk, says the National Mental Health Survey of 2015-16.

The survey, taken up by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, and the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Kozhikode, was released by Health Minister K.K. Shylaja here on Saturday.

It says the suicide risk in the State is 12.6 per 100 people, compared with the national average of 6%. The prevalence of high suicidal risk is 2.23%, which is the highest among all States included in the survey. Both suicide risk and rate of completed suicide are higher among males.

The suicide incidence rate in 2014, as per the records of the National Crime Records Bureau, is 23.9% per one lakh people, more than double the national average of 10.6%. The suicide rate, however, is showing a downward trend over the past decade in the State. It was 28.8% in 2002.

Anxiety-related disorders too are higher in Kerala, at 5.43 per 100 people, higher than the national average of 3.5% , says the survey. Common mental disorders are depression, anxiety, and those related to substance use. The rate of common mental disorder is 11%. More number of substance use cases are reported among males and depression cases are more among women. Current overall prevalence of any mental disorders is 11.3%. The rate of smoking cases is at 7.22%, much lower than the national average of 20.89%.

Treatment gap

Treatment gap, the percentage of population with a mental illness who do not receive treatment, is high in Kerala, and it is most marked for alcohol-use disorders and common mental disorders.

In spite of advances made in many aspects, Kerala still does not have a mental health action plan, says the survey.