Vicious cycle of Poverty and Mental illness : A Review with Special Reference to Scheduled Caste Population

Abstract

India is a developing country and has a large population of Scheduled Castes (SCs). They still only have a limited amount of access to capital assets such agricultural land and non-land assets, or those assets are underproductive. As a result, in terms of household income, level of education, and kind of employment, they continue to represent the lowest social strata. This extreme poverty also intersects with stigma associated with caste and create double psychological burden on this marginalised population. Poverty and mental illness create a vicious cycle that can be difficult to escape. One of the main reasons for SC poverty is the deep-rooted caste system in India, which has led to their social, economic, and political marginalization. Using data from various studies and surveys, the paper reveals that members of SC population in India suffer from poor mental health due to various factors such as discrimination, poverty, lack of access to education and healthcare, and social exclusion. The paper discusses the impact of poverty and discrimination, and lack of access to healthcare services on their mental health. Additionally, the paper explores the role of stigma and cultural attitudes towards mental illness among Scheduled Castes in India. Overall, the paper underscores the urgent need for action to improve the mental health outcomes of Scheduled Castes in India.