Mental Health of Rural Women

Abstract

Women from rural areas form a unique group due to the realities of rural living. The various challenges rural women face include gender disadvantage, poverty, poor physical health, roles of caregiving, and being women farmers. Besides gender disadvantage, exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) is also one of the main risk factors for common mental disorders (CMDs) in rural women. Suicide, depression, anxiety, perinatal disorders, somatization, and substance abuse are few of the disorders that rural women often face. Challenges preventing rural women from approaching mental healthcare include an absence of women-friendly mental healthcare services, lack of trained mental health professionals in rural areas or those who understand the unique needs of rural culture, stigma associated with help seeking, poor knowledge about treatment facilities, lack of accessibility to transport, and the high costs of mental health services. Factors that contribute to enhanced vulnerability include older age, widowhood, poverty, and living in areas of armed conflict. HIV infection and comorbid physical illnesses also add to risk. Rural women's well-being is strongly associated with their physical health, inner well-being, economic security, rural identity, household and family well-being, and community relations. Psychological therapies tailored to the needs of rural women have reported improvement in mental health. Rural women are more accepting of help from their own community-level workers and peer volunteers. Mental health delivery, therefore, has to be tailored to the norms and realities of rural women.

Perspectives and presentation of mental health among women from rural Maharashtra (India): A qualitative study

“…This form of gender disadvantage is observed in areas such as intimate partner violence, lack of autonomy in decision-making, lack of support and bearing children during adolescent age. This is more widespread in rural areas where women are confined to their traditional gender-specific roles such as being a wife, mother and caretaker of their families (Chandra et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Furthermore, one’s gender identity can serve as a disadvantage regarding MH-related conditions in rural women owing to violence, prejudices and lack of privilege (Chandra et al, 2020 ).…”