In 2015-16, Sama had conducted an exploratory research in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to understand the contributing factors to mental ill-health among young women as well as their experiences of accessing mental health care and other support that they required. The report Interrogating Interruptions utilizes the voices and narratives of young women, both married and unmarried, from rural communities and from different socio-economic and caste backgrounds, to identify the various social determinants of mental health and well-being of young girls and women.
Interviews with healers and healthcare providers also enabled Sama to capture the mental health care pathways and gaps that exist in under-resourced communities, the perspectives and prejudices of healthcare providers towards mental health of women, and the opportunities for building systems of care and support.
Read the report | An executive summary in Hindi
The rationale, methodology and key findings of Sama’s exploratory research study on the factors affecting young women’s mental health are presented in a handout.