Economic Burden of Mental Disorders in Bangladesh: A Systematic Review and Recommendations for Future Research

Mental disorders are highly prevalent in different population groups in Bangladesh. Effective policymaking and evaluation may need economic evidence on complex mental health problems. In this systematic review, we aimed to evaluate the current evidence on the economic burden of mental disorders in Bangladesh. We searched six major databases and additional sources using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We included studies that were published in English, as peer-reviewed articles, reported any economic burden of any mental disorders, and focused on the Bangladeshi population. Among a total of 1241 citations, no study met our criteria. This scarcity of evidence on the economic burden of mental disorders can be attributable to many factors, including a suboptimal…