National Mental Health Program – components and outcomes MCQs With Answer

Introduction

The National Mental Health Program (NMHP) is a public health initiative focused on strengthening mental health services through components such as the District Mental Health Program (DMHP), capacity building, essential psychotropic drug supply, IEC, rehabilitation, and monitoring. For B.Pharm students, understanding NMHP components and outcomes links pharmacotherapy, supply chain management, pharmacovigilance, and community mental health. Key keywords: National Mental Health Program, components, outcomes, DMHP, psychotropic drugs, essential medicines, pharmacovigilance, community mental health, training, and service delivery. This concise overview prepares pharmacy students to support rational psychotropic use, ensure drug availability, and measure program outcomes. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. What year was the National Mental Health Program (NMHP) launched in India?

• 1982
• 1996
• 2003
• 2017

Correct Answer: 1982

Q2. Which component of the NMHP focuses on extending mental health services at district and primary health care levels?

• Research and policy
• District Mental Health Program (DMHP)
• National referral centers
• Private sector engagement

Correct Answer: District Mental Health Program (DMHP)

Q3. A core objective of NMHP is to:

• Privatize all mental health services
• Reduce the prevalence of mental disorders through community-based care
• Eliminate pharmacotherapy in mental health
• Centralize all mental health services in cities

Correct Answer: Reduce the prevalence of mental disorders through community-based care

Q4. Which activity under NMHP is aimed at increasing public awareness and reducing stigma?

• IEC (Information, Education, Communication)
• Only inpatient treatment
• Exclusive specialist training
• Import substitution

Correct Answer: IEC (Information, Education, Communication)

Q5. In NMHP, availability of which category of medicines at primary health centers is emphasized?

• Essential psychotropic drugs
• Experimental investigational drugs
• Cosmetic medicines
• Only herbal supplements

Correct Answer: Essential psychotropic drugs

Q6. Which NMHP component builds skills among general health staff to identify and manage mental disorders?

• Capacity building and training
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Transport logistics
• International recruitment

Correct Answer: Capacity building and training

Q7. A measurable outcome of NMHP implementation at district level is:

• Number of trained PHC staff providing mental health care
• Total number of private hospitals built
• Reduction in imported drugs
• Increase in tertiary care referrals only

Correct Answer: Number of trained PHC staff providing mental health care

Q8. Which element ensures continuous supply and rational use of psychotropic medicines under NMHP?

• Pharmacovigilance and supply chain management
• Advertising by pharmaceutical companies
• Unregulated private procurement
• Patient co-pay only

Correct Answer: Pharmacovigilance and supply chain management

Q9. The DMHP typically includes which of the following service packages?

• Outpatient care, community outreach, training, IEC
• Only inpatient tertiary care
• Only administrative reporting
• Only police-led interventions

Correct Answer: Outpatient care, community outreach, training, IEC

Q10. Which outcome indicates improved access to mental health care under NMHP?

• Increased number of patients receiving treatment at PHCs
• Higher import tariffs on drugs
• Decreased number of trained pharmacists
• Closure of community clinics

Correct Answer: Increased number of patients receiving treatment at PHCs

Q11. For B.Pharm students, an important role in NMHP is:

• Ensuring rational dispensing and inventory of psychotropic medicines
• Performing surgical procedures
• Prescribing psychotherapy
• Issuing legal certificates

Correct Answer: Ensuring rational dispensing and inventory of psychotropic medicines

Q12. Which indicator would best measure stigma reduction as an NMHP outcome?

• Change in community attitudes and help-seeking behavior
• Total number of drug manufacturers
• Increase in hospital construction
• Number of regulatory inspections

Correct Answer: Change in community attitudes and help-seeking behavior

Q13. Monitoring and evaluation in NMHP typically track:

• Service coverage, drug availability, training outcomes, and treatment indicators
• Only financial audits of private clinics
• Exclusive data on cosmetic drug sales
• Number of advertising campaigns

Correct Answer: Service coverage, drug availability, training outcomes, and treatment indicators

Q14. Which mental health law in India strengthened rights and access, impacting NMHP implementation?

• Mental Healthcare Act, 2017
• Pharmacy Act, 1948
• National Drugs and Cosmetics Act
• Industrial Disputes Act

Correct Answer: Mental Healthcare Act, 2017

Q15. A common challenge for NMHP outcomes is:

• Shortage of trained mental health professionals at district level
• Excessive community funding
• Overabundance of psychotropic drugs at PHCs
• Too many IEC campaigns without effect

Correct Answer: Shortage of trained mental health professionals at district level

Q16. Which psychotropic group is commonly managed at primary care under NMHP with appropriate training?

• Antidepressants and antipsychotics for common disorders
• Novel experimental biologics only available in trials
• Exclusive use of intravenous anesthetics
• Only herbal tonics

Correct Answer: Antidepressants and antipsychotics for common disorders

Q17. In NMHP, IEC activities are intended to primarily:

• Promote early help-seeking and reduce stigma
• Sell medications directly to the public
• Train surgeons in psychotherapy
• Replace clinical services

Correct Answer: Promote early help-seeking and reduce stigma

Q18. Which statement best describes the role of pharmacovigilance in NMHP?

• Detect and manage adverse effects of psychotropic medicines used in the community
• Promote off-label marketing of drugs
• Reduce reporting of side effects
• Ignore drug safety to speed access

Correct Answer: Detect and manage adverse effects of psychotropic medicines used in the community

Q19. Capacity building under NMHP includes training of:

• Medical officers, nurses, pharmacists, and community health workers
• Only international consultants
• Only administrative staff unrelated to health
• Exclusive private sector sales teams

Correct Answer: Medical officers, nurses, pharmacists, and community health workers

Q20. Integration of mental health into general health services means:

• Mental health care is provided within primary and secondary health facilities
• Mental health is isolated in separate specialized centers only
• Mental health is removed from public health planning
• Only tertiary hospitals handle all cases

Correct Answer: Mental health care is provided within primary and secondary health facilities

Q21. Which outcome would indicate improved quality of pharmacotherapy under NMHP?

• Adherence to standard treatment guidelines and reduced adverse events
• Increased use of unapproved novel drugs
• Higher rates of unsupervised polypharmacy
• Reduced reporting of treatment outcomes

Correct Answer: Adherence to standard treatment guidelines and reduced adverse events

Q22. Research and evaluation under NMHP help to:

• Inform policy, improve interventions, and measure program outcomes
• Only increase paperwork without benefits
• Promote proprietary drug secrecy
• Eliminate community participation

Correct Answer: Inform policy, improve interventions, and measure program outcomes

Q23. Which stakeholder is crucial for sustainable drug supply under NMHP?

• State drug supply management and procurement systems
• Only informal vendors
• Only patients ordering online
• Unregulated private sellers

Correct Answer: State drug supply management and procurement systems

Q24. Community mental health services under NMHP emphasize:

• Rehabilitation, reintegration, and community-based support
• Complete institutionalization only
• Isolating patients from families permanently
• Urban tertiary care exclusivity

Correct Answer: Rehabilitation, reintegration, and community-based support

Q25. A pharmacy student contributing to NMHP monitoring could collect data on:

• Drug stock levels, expiry rates, and ADR reports
• Only hospital cafeteria menus
• International tourism statistics
• Sports event outcomes

Correct Answer: Drug stock levels, expiry rates, and ADR reports

Q26. Which outcome reflects improved human resources capacity under NMHP?

• Increased number of trained district mental health personnel
• Decreased training programs
• Closure of academic courses in mental health
• Reduced involvement of pharmacists

Correct Answer: Increased number of trained district mental health personnel

Q27. Which is a common barrier to achieving NMHP outcomes?

• Insufficient funding and weak drug supply chains
• Overfunding of all districts equally
• Excess mental health workforce in rural areas
• Complete elimination of stigma overnight

Correct Answer: Insufficient funding and weak drug supply chains

Q28. Effective referral systems in NMHP ensure:

• Timely movement of complex cases from primary to higher care levels
• That all cases remain at PHC regardless of severity
• Random transfers without documentation
• Exclusive referrals to non-clinical centers

Correct Answer: Timely movement of complex cases from primary to higher care levels

Q29. Outcome evaluation of NMHP should include which patient-centered measure?

• Functional recovery and quality of life improvements
• Only the number of prescriptions issued
• Only hospital construction counts
• Exclusive focus on import-export data

Correct Answer: Functional recovery and quality of life improvements

Q30. Long-term sustainability of NMHP outcomes requires:

• Strong governance, financing, workforce, and community engagement
• One-time training without follow-up
• Eliminating primary care roles
• Limiting access to essential medicines

Correct Answer: Strong governance, financing, workforce, and community engagement

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