Integrating mental health into cardiovascular disease research in India

Mental health refers to a diverse field where individuals can cope with daily stress, realize their potential and maintain a state of well-being. In recent years, there has been increasing recognition of the influence of mental health on general health, and in particular on cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors. Epidemiological research has focused on several psychosocial components including social determinants, comorbid psychiatric disorders, psychological stress, coping styles, social support, burden on the family, well-being, life satisfaction, personality and cognitive factors in connection with cardiovascular diseases. There is epidemiological research in India that integrates mental health with common cardiovascular diseases such as coronary health disease and stroke. Data from mental health research is sufficiently compelling to highlight the role of chronic stress, socioeconomic status and psychiatric disorders such as depression, substance use, social networks and support in relation to vulnerability to cardiovascular diseases. There are psychosocial consequences of cardiovascular diseases including deficits in the domains of life skills, coping skills and neurocognition, in addition to caregiver burden. The implications of bio-psychosocial models of assessments and interventions that target complex individual and contextual variables simultaneously on cardiovascular treatment outcomes have highlighted the importance of studying mental health in Indian settings. Integration of mental health into mainstream research is the need of the hour. A multidimensional approach to accomplish this is required including at the level of research conceptualization, discussions with key stakeholders, at the policy level, at the institutional level, and at the clinical and community level.