Survey reveals stigma barrier to mental health care in Tharparkar

A groundbreaking survey on mental health in Tharparkar has revealed alarming levels of stigma, misconceptions and barriers to accessing care with 70 per cent of participants believing mental illnesses are contagious and 82 per cent citing family stigma as a major obstacle to seeking help.

The study conducted under the Sindh Mental Health Authority (SMHA) in collaboration with key partners highlights critical issues affecting mental health awareness and care in one of Pakistan's most underserved regions.

The study, titled ‘Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) Among the Residents of Tharparkar’, surveyed 5,378 individuals across seven talukas, including Mithi, Islamkot and Diplo. Findings showed that while over half of the participants (52 per cent) were aware of mental health issues, misconceptions persisted, with 35 per cent attributing mental illness to sins and 28 per cent to supernatural causes.

Financial constraints (28 per cent), lack of awareness about available services (16 per cent), and confidentiality concerns (76 per cent) were highlighted as major hurdles to accessing care. While 60 per cent of the respondents believed in medical treatments for mental illness, only 36 per cent felt recovery was possible, underscoring the need for awareness campaigns to address these perceptions.

Stigma within families and communities emerged as a pressing issue, with 65 per cent expressing shame about having a mentally ill relative and 87 per cent observing community demoralisation of mental health patients.

These attitudes prevent many from seeking timely care or supporting loved ones in need. Tharparkar’s mental health crisis is further exacerbated by one of the highest suicide rates in Sindh. Economic hardships, domestic violence and cultural pressures are among the root causes.

Reports from recent years have linked mass suicides to extreme poverty, with entire families resorting to drastic measures due to insurmountable financial stress. Teenage despair, social isolation and forced marriages are additional factors contributing to the alarming numbers.

The study outlined several recommendations, including raising awareness by launching targeted campaigns to reduce stigma and correct misconceptions, establishing mental health facilities and tele-psychiatry services in all taluka headquarters hospitals and addressing socioeconomic stressors such as poverty and unemployment.

It further called for community engagement by building local capacity for community-based mental health care, creating recreational spaces and indoor activities for young people, especially women.

The study’s findings were unveiled at a ceremony attended by senior officials, including Prof Dr Ikram Ujjan, LUMHS vice chancellor and Farhan Ansari, general manager of the Thar Foundation. The event also recognised the contributions of local healthcare providers and lady health workers, who were instrumental in collecting data from remote areas.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, which was presided over by Vice Chancellor of the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) Prof Saeed Quraishy, SMHA Chairman Dr Karim Ahmed Khawaja emphasised the need for collaborative efforts, stating that addressing mental health in Tharparkar required a multi-faceted approach involving government, NGOs and community leaders.

The research was supported by the Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences (LUMHS), Thar Foundation and the Sir Cowasji Jehangir Institute of Psychiatry. Dr Abdul Razzaque Nohri, the study’s principal investigator, highlighted the critical need for sustained efforts to tackle stigma, expand mental health services, and provide culturally sensitive care.