Mental health comorbidity in low-income and middle-income countries: a call for improved measurement and treatment

Abstract

Considerable progress has been made over the past decade in epidemiological and intervention research, service delivery, and increasing awareness of and appreciation for the importance of mental health in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). A key example of this progress is the WHO's Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2020. 1 Saxena S Funk M Chisholm D World Health Assembly adopts comprehensive mental health action plan 2013–2020. Lancet. 2013; 381: 1970-1971 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (129) Google Scholar As global mental health moves forward into areas of implementation science, health systems strengthening, and policy making, we believe it is necessary to highlight what, in our opinion, is a major gap in the field: the lack of information on the prevalence and treatment of co-occurring mental health, substance use, and other psychosocial problems.