title: Applying mobile technologies to mental health service delivery in South Asia.
abstract: Mobile phones have increasingly assumed an important role in the treatment of mental disorders in high-income countries. This paper considers such possibilities in the South Asian context. First, a brief review of mobile phone use in mental disorders is provided. Next, data on the market penetration and dissemination of mobile phones in South Asia is presented. Finally, common barriers to treatment for mental disorders in South Asia are evaluated against solutions that could be derived from mobile technologies. Though not without their risks, mobile phones have the potential to increase engagement, treatment, and retention of South Asian patients with mental disorders in unprecedented ways.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, Suite 1703, Unit 11, New York, NY 10025, USA. aggarwa@nyspi.columbia.edu
authors.forename: Neil Krishan
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
mesh_terms: D001208:Asia; D040421:Cell Phone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends