A Nationwide Prevalence of Common Mental Disorders and Suicidality in Nepal: Evidence from National Mental Health Survey, 2019-2020

  • Meghnath Dhimal Nepal Health Research Council, Ramshah Path, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Sushma Dahal Nepal Health Research Council, Ramshah Path, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Kriti Adhikari Nepal Health Research Council, Ramshah Path, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Pallavi Koirala Nepal Health Research Council, Ramshah Path, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Bihungum Bista Nepal Health Research Council, Ramshah Path, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Nagendra Luitel Transcultural Psychosocial Organization Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Sagun Pant Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan Univeristy, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Kedar Marahatta World Health Organziation, Country Office, Nepal
  • Suraj Shakya Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan Univeristy, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Pawan Sharma Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Lalitpur, Nepal
  • Sailaja Ghimire Nepal Health Research Council, Ramshah Path, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Pradip Gyanwali Nepal Health Research Council, Ramshah Path, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Saroj Prasad Ojha Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan Univeristy, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Anjani Kumar Jha Nepal Health Research Council, Ramshah Path, Kathmandu, Nepal
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33314/jnhrc.v19i04.4017

Abstract

Background: Mental disorders account for a large portion of burden of disease. In Nepal, the prevalence of mental disorders has been rising steadily, but national and province level prevalence is not available. This study aims to assess the prevalence of common mental disorders and suicidality in Nepal.
Methods: We conducted nationwide descriptive cross-sectional community-based prevalence study of mental disorders and suicidality among adults (aged 18 years and above) and adolescents (aged 13 to 17 years) in Nepal. We included a total of 9200 adults and 5888 adolescents from seven provinces of Nepal by using a multistage Probability Proportionate to Size sampling technique. Mental disorders and suicidality were assessed using translated and adapted Nepalese version of Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) for disorders, English version 7.0.2 for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders,5th Edition (DSM-5). Data were entered in CSPro v7.2. Weighted estimates for different mental disorders were calculated.
Results: The overall weighted lifetime prevalence of any mental disorder among adults and adolescents was estimated at 10% and 5.2%, respectively. Suicidality was present among 7.2% of the adult and 4.1% of the adolescent participants. Among adult participants, the current prevalence of suicidal thoughts and lifetime suicidal attempts were found to be 6.5% and 1.1%, respectively.
Conclusions: This survey indicated that mental health problems are major public health concerns in Nepal that should not be overlooked. Hence, a multisectoral approach is needed to address the burden of mental health problems among adults and adolescents in Nepal.
Keywords: National Mental Health Survey, Mental Disorder, MINI, Suicidality, Nepal

Published
2022-03-13
How to Cite
DhimalM., DahalS., AdhikariK., KoiralaP., BistaB., LuitelN., PantS., Marahatta K., ShakyaS., SharmaP., GhimireS., GyanwaliP., OjhaS. P., & JhaA. K. (2022). A Nationwide Prevalence of Common Mental Disorders and Suicidality in Nepal: Evidence from National Mental Health Survey, 2019-2020. Journal of Nepal Health Research Council, 19(04), 740-747. https://doi.org/10.33314/jnhrc.v19i04.4017
Issue
Vol. 19 No. 04 (2021): Vol 19 No 4 Issue 53 Oct-Dec 2021
Section
Original Article

Copyright (c) 2022 Meghnath Dhimal, Sushma Dahal, Kriti Adhikari, Pallavi Koirala, Bihungum Bista, Nagendra Luitel, Sagun Pant, Kedar Marahatta , Suraj Shakya, Pawan Sharma, Sailaja Ghimire, Pradip Gyanwali, Saroj Prasad Ojha, Anjani Kumar Jha

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Journal of Nepal Health Research Council JNHRC allows to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of its articles and allow readers to use them for any other lawful purpose. Copyright is retained by author. The JNHRC work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).