Anxiety on rise in rural India: Report

NEW DELHI: Anxiety levels have increased in rural India, a report released on Thursday revealed, stating that nearly 45 per cent respondents said they have suffered anxiety.

The prevalence of mental health disorders in India has risen steadily in recent years, contributing to the escalating public health concern, according to the State of Healthcare in Rural India Report – 2024, which covered a total of 5,389 households in 21 states.

"One of the major findings of the survey was related to mental health, revealing that anxiety levels have risen in rural India, making it no longer just an ‘urban’ phenomenon," the report said.

"The study reveals that 45 per cent of the respondents across gender most of the time have anxiety and worry that impacts their state of mind. The data reveals that anxiety and worry impact mental health much more among the older cohorts than those who are younger," it added.

The report said that 40 per cent of those aged 18-25 years admitted feeling anxiety, with the proportion increasing to 53 per cent among those who are 60 and above.

The report also talked about the concept of “Neighbourhoods of Care” as a fundamental shift in the approach to health delivery.

The report found that 73 per cent of rural households with elderly members need constant care. Yet, engaging an external caregiver as a paid service does not seem to have a great deal of traction in rural India, with only 3 per cent of such households ever having opted for the same. The majority (95.7 per cent) prefer family caregivers, predominantly female (72.1 per cent), highlighting the need for caregiver training on home-based care.

The survey was jointly carried out by Transform Rural India (TRI) and its initiative, the Development Intelligence Unit (DIU), the report said.