Using Mobile Telepsychiatry to Close the Mental Health Gap
India, with an estimated population of 10 million people affected by serious mental disorders, has only about 4,000 psychiatrists to provide for its mental health needs. The situation has been exacerbated by the fact that 70% of the available psychiatrists are located in metropolitan and urban areas, leaving the majority of the country with extremely limited access to mental health care services. Factors such as ignorance about mental illness and unfamiliarity with treatment options also act as barriers to treatment. Even when a diagnosis has been made, cost and time of traveling to appointments, the availability and cost of medication, and the stress of a long journey or wait for the bus can contribute to patients dropping out of care. These conditions prevail in much of the developing world. Logic dictates that we look beyond the usual options to bridge the gap in mental health care service provision. One such option that has the potential to become a major force multiplier, especially in reaching out to remote rural areas, is telepsychiatry, more specifically mobile telepsychiatry. This has to a large extent become a viable and feasible option in India, which has witnessed exponential growth in the information and communication technology industry over the past 15 years. The other major contributing factor has been the strong backing by the government of India through its entity known as the Indian Space Research Organization for telemedicine programs.