TY - JOUR
KW - Mental Health
KW - Skin neglected tropical diseases
KW - Neglected tropical disease
AU - Balasubramanian I
AU - Abhijita B
AB - <jats:p>Neglected tropical skin diseases (SNTDs) include at least nine conditions affecting more than one billion people worldwide. While their physical manifestations have been studied in detail, the mental health consequences are highly under-researched and underreported, often limited to specific conditions. This article summarizes existing literature on mental health aspects of individual SNTDs ranging from depression, anxiety, stigma, social isolation, post-traumatic stress disorder, epilepsy, and developmental impacts on growing children. While evidence is more for leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, and scabies, a huge gap is seen in yaws, fungal, and other ectoparasitic infections. Incorporating routine mental health screening in dermatology and primary care centers and prompt referral may improve patient outcomes and quality of life significantly.</jats:p>
BT - Tropical Doctor
DA - 07/2026
DO - 10.1177/00494755261474092
LA - ENG
M3 - Article 
N2 - <jats:p>Neglected tropical skin diseases (SNTDs) include at least nine conditions affecting more than one billion people worldwide. While their physical manifestations have been studied in detail, the mental health consequences are highly under-researched and underreported, often limited to specific conditions. This article summarizes existing literature on mental health aspects of individual SNTDs ranging from depression, anxiety, stigma, social isolation, post-traumatic stress disorder, epilepsy, and developmental impacts on growing children. While evidence is more for leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, and scabies, a huge gap is seen in yaws, fungal, and other ectoparasitic infections. Incorporating routine mental health screening in dermatology and primary care centers and prompt referral may improve patient outcomes and quality of life significantly.</jats:p>
PB - SAGE Publications
PY - 2026
T2 - Tropical Doctor
TI - Mental health in skin neglected tropical diseases
SN - 0049-4755, 1758-1133
ER -