From Mad in South Asia: There are 46 state-run psychiatric hospitals in India. It is common for women with mental health issues to live in these institutions for very long periods. They are called “dumped women” given their long-term stays in mental hospitals due to lack of family support. A new study was conducted by Anindita Bhattacharya, David Camacho, and Ellen Lukens, which investigates the reasons behind the long-term stays. The researchers found that gender disadvantages, lack of familial support, poverty, and family violence often lead to women’s admission to psychiatric institutions. Further, these factors also act as barriers to their re-entry within the community.
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