Background Worldwide, mental health issues constitute a substantial threat to people’s social, economic, and mental well-being and contribute significantly to many fatalities each year. In Bangladesh, people with mental health issues typically delay contacting health professionals because they prefer traditional or religious healers. Moreover, the situation is exacerbated by a lack of awareness, social stigma, and negative perception of sufferers of mental health issues on the part of families and the community. Therefore, this paper investigates the social perception and stigmatization of individuals living with mental health problems and their caregivers in Khulna, Bangladesh. Methods Data were collected from university students with concurring mental health issues as well as their closest caregivers, who had in-depth knowledge of the problem and a willingness to take care of the individuals with mental health issues. Following the criteria for data collection, eight individuals living with mental health problems and five caregivers were purposively selected for this research. A semi-structured in-depth interview guide was used for the confidential data collection process, which took place in November and December 2021, and each interview lasted 40–50 min on average. Results This study used thematic analysis to present the results; the findings showed that: individuals afflicted with mental health problems sought both medical and spiritual support to recover. Those with mental health issues who received positive family support recovered relatively faster than those who did not. However, negative social perception and stigmatization were the key impediments for individuals suffering from mental health problems and their families, as they found it difficult to discuss their issues with relatives and communities when attempting to access support or seek remedies. Moreover, the commonality of social stigmas, such as labeling mental health problems as equal to ‘madness,’ hindered disclosure to family members, peers, and the community. Conclusion and recommendations In Bangladesh, the majority of individuals living with mental health problems are stigmatized and do not receive emotional support. Hence, we suggest nationwide community-based awareness-building programs to promote more positive perceptions of the fight against mental health disorders. Furthermore, counseling and awareness-building programs for effective discouragement of non-scientific remedies such as spiritual healing, as well as diagnosis and medication at the primary stage of sickness, are recommended for early detection and better medical assistance.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to measure healthcare-seeking behaviour and determine its associated factors among older people in the slums of the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) areas of Bangladesh.DesignCross-sectional survey.SettingsFour slums in the KCC areas of Bangladesh.ParticipantsThe participants were selected following a two-stage area probability sampling with the following specifications: they must be aged ≥60 years and must have lived in the slums of KCC for at least 5 consecutive years.Outcome measuresA semistructured interview schedule was administered to determine participants’ healthcare-seeking behaviour, with healthcare-seeking behaviour measured through a dichotomous response of ‘yes’ or ‘no’.Results636 participants were included in the study. Gastrointestinal problems (75.3%) and aches and pains (71.5%) were the two most common health problems among older people in the slums of KCC. Older adults in their 80s had higher adjusted odds of attaining healthcare services (adjusted OR (AOR)=2.028; 95% CI: 1.140 to 3.609; p<0.05) than other older people, while educated older people (AOR=0.664; 95% CI: 0.441 to 1.000; p<0.05) and those with greater satisfaction with domains of life (SDL index; AOR=0.860; 95% CI: 0.811 to 0.912; p<0.01) were less inclined to seek healthcare services than their counterparts. Additionally, widows/widowers (AOR=2.218; 95% CI: 1.080 to 4.556; p<0.05) and married people (AOR=2.750; 95% CI: 1.329 to 5.689; p<0.01) had higher adjusted odds of seeking healthcare services than those who were divorced/separated.ConclusionAge, education, marital status and SDL index were significant predictors for the healthcare-seeking behaviour of older people in KCC slums. Effective strategies need to be implemented to reduce existing access barriers to healthcare services for older people in the slum areas of urban Bangladesh.

Background Mounting mental health disorders among students has become a significant challenge in producing quality graduates with bright minds. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the underlying causes of students’ mental health-related problems and their experiences while living with mental health disorders. This study investigates the causes and exposures of mental health problems among university students in Bangladesh. For this purpose, a qualitative method was used, and an unstructured in-depth interview schedule was used to collect data from students and caregivers. The students were selected from Khulna University, and data were collected in two consecutive months, i.e., November and December 2021. Using a convenient sampling technique, eight (8) students with mental health issues and five (5) caregivers were interviewed to obtain the necessary data. Results The findings showed that the intertwined social circumstances led to mental health problems among university students. The students experienced deep depression following a breakup of their romantic affairs/relationships. The prolonged isolation or social distancing due to the government-imposed strict lockdown during the COVID-19 also produced frustration regarding the possible loss of both academic and professional careers. Furthermore, the growing academic pressure in a form of an unfamiliar approach to teaching and learning—online education–also compelled students to complain about depression and suicidal tendencies as parts of their experiences. Conclusions This study recommends that the government and policymakers prioritize mental health issues in educational institutions, and they should enforce specific strategies, such as introducing age-specific mental health services and student counseling at educational institutions to reduce growing mental health issues. Furthermore, a positive approach from the family and community is also required to battle against mental health disorders. Besides, nationally representative empirical research is recommended to comprehend the growing mental health issues among students in the 21st century to figure out solutions for the present and the future.

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Background: Worldwide, mental health issues constitute a substantial threat to the social, economic, and mental wellbeing of people and contribute significantly to many fatalities each year. In Bangladesh, people with mental health issues typically delay contacting health professionals because they rely on traditional or religious healers. Moreover, the situation is exacerbated by a lack of awareness, social stigma and negative perception from families and the community towards sufferers of mental health issues. Therefore, this paper investigates the social perception and stigmatisation of mental health patients and their caregivers in Khulna city of Bangladesh. Methods: Data were collected from university students who had concurring mental health issues and from their closest caregivers who had in-depth knowledge and willingness to take care for the patients. Following the criteria for data collection, eight (8) mental health patients and five (5) caregivers were purposively selected for this research. An unstructured in-depth interview guide was used for the confidential data collection process between November to December 2021, and each interview lasted for, on average, 40-50 minutes. Results: This study used thematic analysis to present the results, and the findings showed that: mental health patients seek both medical and spiritual support to recover. Mental health patients with positive family support improved quicker than those with the opposite. However, negative social perception and stigmatisation are the key impediments for mental health patients and their families to discuss their issues with relatives and communities to get support or to seek remedies. Moreover, the commonality of social stigmas, such as labelling mental health problems equal to ‘madness’, hinders disclosure to family members, peers, and the community.Conclusion and recommendations: In Bangladesh, the majority of mental health patients are stigmatized without receiving emotional support. Hence, we suggest nationwide community-based awareness-building programs to promote positive perceptions against mental-health disorders. Besides, counselling and awareness-building programs for effective prevention against non-scientific remedies, such as spiritual healing; and diagnosis at the primary stage of sickness and medication, are recommended for early detection and better medical assistance.