Gender Disparities and Mental Health:A Succumbed Issue

Gender plays a critical role as a determinant of health, including mental health. It influences the power and ascendance men and women have over the determinants of their mental health, incorporating their socioeconomic position, roles, ranks, and social status, also access to resources and treatment in the society. Depression accounts for the largest proportion of the burden associated with all the mental and neurological disorders, and, are predicted to be the second leading cause of global burden of diseases by 2020. This paper puts evidential light on the relationship of gender inequality leading to mental disorders. Mental illness not only affects at the individual level but a major co-morbidity is associated with mental illness of increased severity, higher levels of disability and demands higher utilization of services. For e.g. depression and anxiety are the most common co-morbid disorders which women predominates, reasons for which could be sexual violence, under representation etc, which further adds on the morbidity. Mental health is an integral part of the optimal functioning of an individual and is an issue which needs to be addressed in the mainstream, in terms of multi level, intersectoral approach, gendered mental health policy with a public health focus and gender specific risk factors reduction strategies, with equitable access to services.