The one-day workshop reflects a collaborative effort between Duke University, UNC-Chapel Hill, and IIMB to advance mental health research in India

24th July 2025, Bangalore: IIMB hosted a one-day workshop on Mental Health Research in India as part of the Survey of Health Trends (SEHAT) Study. The Survey of Health Trends is a survey focusing on health outcomes, specifically on healthcare utilization and mental health markers, in a strategic partnership with CPHS/CMIE.  SEHAT is a NIH-funded study, approved by the Health Ministry Screening Committee of the Government of India, and the workshop brings together several emerging and established researchers in the health economics, health policy, and health systems research community in India.

The workshop began with opening remarks and an overview of the SEHAT Study delivered by Prof. Arnab Mukherji, Chairperson, Master of Management Studies (Public Policy) – PGPPM, IIMB, and Prof. Manoj Mohanan, Duke University. Prof. Mukherji presented the study's design, data structure, and key elements, highlighting the unique opportunity provided by linking health data to CMIE’s Consumer Pyramids Household Survey (CPHS).  

Key Highlights of Research Presentation

• Meerambika Mahapatro, National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Delhi, presented findings from her paper, ‘Enhancing Empowerment and Resilience through Behavioral Intervention in Pregnant Women Facing Domestic Violence: A Facility-Based Trial in India.’ The study demonstrated that a behavioral intervention delivered in public hospitals led to a measurable reduction in the severity of domestic violence, along with significant improvements in emotional self-regulation, peer support, and awareness of legal entitlements.
• Henry Cust, Duke University, shared insights from his analysis titled ‘Parental Mental Health and Child Health Service Utilization in India: Evidence from SEHAT Panel Data.’ Using CPHS-SEHAT panel data, the study showed that severe depression or anxiety among caregivers was associated with a 3–14 percentage point decline in childhood vaccination coverage. Given that nearly 11% of the world’s unvaccinated children live in India, the findings underscore the importance of integrating mental health support within maternal and child health programs.
• Sobhia Sabhdar, J-PAL South Asia, discussed results from her paper, ‘Financial Incentives, Health Screening, and Selection into Mental Health Care: Experimental Evidence from College Students in India.’ The study tested whether providing mental health screening feedback and a small financial incentive of rupees five hundred could improve therapy uptake. The combination proved effective in enhancing awareness and reducing stigma, especially among students who were unaware of the severity of their distress.
• Tanvi Dhadwal, IIT Delhi, presented a cost-effectiveness simulation titled ‘Cost-Effectiveness of Universal Depression Screening Among Adolescents and Young Adults in Primary Health Care Settings in India.’ The analysis found that routine depression screening becomes significantly more cost-effective when linked to follow-up treatment access, particularly in underserved areas, highlighting the need for scalable screening-treatment models within primary care.

Research Presentations on India’s Mental Health Landscape

Session 1: Gender and Mental Health

• ‘Adolescent Anxiety post-pandemic: Evidence from a Population Wide Sample in India’ – Joanna Maselko, University of North Carolina -Chapel Hill.
• ‘Enhancing empowerment and resilience through behavioral intervention in pregnant women facing domestic violence: a facility-based trial in India’ – Meerambika Mahapatro, National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Delhi.

Session 2: Mental Health Care

• ·‘Parental Mental Health and Child Health Service Utilization in India: Evidence from Sehat Panel Data’ – Henry Cust, Duke University. 
• ‘Financial Incentives, Health Screening, and Selection into Mental Health Care: Experimental Evidence from College Students in India’ – Sobhia Sabhdar, JPAL – South Asia
• ‘Cost-Effectiveness of Universal Depression Screening Among Adolescents and Young Adults in Primary Health Care Settings in India’ – Tanvi Dhadwal, IIT – Delhi

Session 3: Living Conditions

• ‘Living conditions and mental health of children and adults: Differences between rural and urban India’ – Jennifer Lansford, Duke University.
• ‘Self-selected goals to reduce screen time led to decreases in depression and anxiety’ – Kamal Kant Sharma, Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad.
• ‘Duration of Incarceration on Executive Functions among Under-trials, with Age as a Moderator’ – Amani Kanugolu, Narsee Monji Institute of Management Sciences NMIMS, Navi Mumbai.

Session 4: Environment and Mental Health

• ‘The effect of heatwaves on adult mental health: evidence from high frequency data from climate reanalysis data and panel health surveys’ – Marcos Vera Hernández, University College London.
• ’Coal Plant Emissions and Mental Health in Aging India’ - Deepti Sharma, Ahmedabad University.

Presentations demonstrated the value of panel data in identifying mental health barriers, particularly among vulnerable populations. Discussions also called for improved health system integration, better stigma reduction strategies, and long-term support for behavioral and environmental mental health research.

Click here for photo gallery