The region of Central America has experienced in the last 25 years serious armed conflicts, natural disasters and structural adjustments that have sank this region into poverty, according to the United Natons Development Program (UNDP) Human Development Index, with the exception of the Republic of Costa Rica. This serious economic crisis has been the decisive factor leading to health deterioration of the population and consequently of its mental health component. The main indicators of human development of the region are presented, as well as the investment of the governments in the health the mental health programs which have been developed, the training and distribution of specialized human resources dealing with mental health problems, and their relationship to the health profiles Central American populations Psychosocial problems related to migration, displacement,violence, alcoholism, drugabuse, accidents and suicidality among others, contribute to shape the current profile of mental health problems, and they represent a challenge for psychitrists and other specialists to adopt new modalities of service organization, intersector work, networks and community programs, in the light of the integral concept of health. A further element of this situation is the move of several mental health professionals and specialists from the state institutions to the private sector. The Associations Societies and Unions have an important role to play in the integration of actions in favor of public policies and programs which may benefit he population.
L Aleman Neyra :HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, POVERTY AND MENTALHEALTH IN CENTRAL AMERICA
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, POVERTY AND MENTAL HEALTH IN CENTRAL AMERICA_ L Aleman Neyra_ Nicaraguan Association of Psychiatry