Attitudes That Affect Mental Health Care Coverage; The Psychiatrist in Perspective

Abstract

There is probably no form of health care that is as controversial as mental health care in terms of its theories, aims, methods, and potential impact on individual persons and society as a whole. Mental health care is an extremely emotionally laden area of health care. Our thoughts and feelings, our attitudes and our prejudices toward mental health care are bound to affect individual and societal acceptance of it—and thus influence our health policy toward it. This obviously includes the manner and extent to which we shall provide coverage for mental health care under our health programs—including, in the future, NHI. Therefore, let us briefly examine in this section common attitudes that color our perception of mental illness/emotional problems and mental health care. Let us also consider here the psychiatrist (and other mental health professionals) in perspective, detailing what he can and cannot achieve.