Mental Health Care in Settings Where Mental Health Resources Are Limited

In communities where little or no mental health care exists, people with mental conditions are at risk for increased illness, stigma, and abuse. Their fundamental right to mental health and happiness can be compromised. In "Mental Health Care in Settings Where Mental Health Resources Are Limited," author Pamela Smith MD presents a handbook for community and hospital-based health providers who work in remote or impoverished areas in developed and developing countries.

Designed to be used as a concise, easy-reference source, it provides an outline of core concepts and basic interventions in mental health care. This guide addresses conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, substance abuse, dementia, child and adolescent issues, violence, and HIV/AIDS and mental health. Smith also provides insights on the recent state of mental health care worldwide and the means for increasing access to care in resource-limited areas.

"Mental Health Care in Settings Where Mental Health Resources Are Limited" communicates how providing mental health care training to health workers and raising awareness among other individuals within these challenged communities serves as a significant means not only to improving access to care but also to preserving human rights and dignity.