Behavioral Emergencies in India: Would Psychiatric Emergency Services Help?

Abstract

AbstractIntroduction:Behavioral emergencies constitute an important component of emergencies worldwide. Yet, research on behavioral emergencies in India has been scarce. This article discusses the burden, types, and epidemiology of behavioral emergencies in India.Methods:A computerized search of Medline, Psychinfo, and Cochrane from 1975 to 2009 was performed, and all articles were evaluated and collated. The results were summarized.Results and Conclusions:There is an acute need for psychiatric emergency services in India. Suicides, acute psychoses, and substance-related problems form the major portion of behavioral emergencies, while current trends show a rise in disaster- and terrorism-related emergencies.