scholarly journals Assessing mental health literacy of primary health care workers in Kenya: a cross-sectional survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elijah Marangu ◽  
Fethi Mansouri ◽  
Natisha Sands ◽  
David Ndetei ◽  
Peterson Muriithi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Primary Health Care Services ◽  
Care Workers

Abstract Aim To assess mental health literacy of health workers in primary health care services in Kenya. Background Mental illness is common in Kenya, yet there are fewer than 500 specialist mental health workers to serve Kenya’s population of over 50 million. The World Health Organization recommends the integration of mental health care into primary health care services to improve access to and equity of this care, especially in low and middle-income countries. An important step to integrating mental health care into primary health care services is to determine mental health literacy levels of the primary health care workforce. Method A cross-sectional survey using Jorm’s Mental Health Literacy Instrument (adapted for the Kenyan context) was administered to 310 primary health care workers in four counties of Kenya. Results Of the 310 questionnaires distributed, 212 (68.3%) were returned. Of the respondents, 13% had a formal mental health qualification, while only 8.7% had received relevant continuing professional development in the five years preceding the survey. Just over one third (35.6%) of primary health care workers could correctly identify depression, with even fewer recognising schizophrenia (15.7%). Conclusions This study provides preliminary information about mental health literacy among primary health care workers in Kenya. The majority of respondents had low mental health literacy as indicated by their inability to identify common mental disorders. While identifying gaps in primary health care workers’ mental health knowledge, these data highlight opportunities for capacity building that can enhance mental health care in Kenya and similar low and middle-income countries.

A comprehensive public mental health programme in Guinea-Bissau: a useful model for African, Asian and Latin-American countries

1996 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joop T. V. M. De Jong
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Public Mental Health ◽  
Diagnostic Sensitivity ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Mental Health Programme ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Health Programme

SynopsisFrom 1983–1994 a community mental health programme was set up in Guinea-Bissau. The first part of the programme concentrated on epidemiological aspects: rural and urban study areas were selected on socio-economic level and participation in the liberation war. A two-stage design was used to screen 351 adult consecutive general health care attenders and 100 children in a rural and an urban area for mental disorder. Psychiatric disorders have a morbidity of 12% among adults seen in Primary Health Care. Disorders were mainly neuroses (74%), but more psychoses were found than in other countries. No statistically significant difference in morbidity was found between rural-urban areas or between previous war and non-war zones. The diagnostic sensitivity of the Primary Health Care workers was 31%, their diagnostic specificity 88%. Thirteen per cent of the children showed neuropsychiatric disturbances. There were no sociocultural impediments to this public mental health approach. During the following intervention programme 850 Primary Health Care workers were trained and supervised nationwide. The diagnostic sensitivity of major mental disorders and epilepsy increased from 31% to an average of 85%. Before the training, their knowledge of the treatment of these disorders was nil whereas after training 82% of the patients received appropriate treatment. Moreover, this model programme shows a profitable cost/benefit ratio and a high sustainability over the last 10 years.

Reflections on integrating mental health into primary health care services in remote Indigenous communities in Far North Queensland and the Northern Territory

2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Haswell-Elkins ◽  
Ernest Hunter ◽  
Tricia Nagel ◽  
Carolyn Thompson ◽  
Brenda Hall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Primary Health Care Services ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

At present, there is a perceived and functional separation of mental health services from the general delivery of primary health care services in remote Indigenous communities in most places in the country. There are a range of issues underlying this separation; many are historical but continue to influence patterns of thinking about mental and physical health. With the increasing shift of focus of care at primary level from being largely reactive to presentations of acute illnesses towards proactive and strategically guided approaches to the management of chronic diseases, coupled with similar national strategic documents guiding mental health care into a primary health care format, the opportunity to integrate the provision of mental and physical health care has never been better. Accompanying this integration should be a reflection and improvement on models of care that address needs of Indigenous people in a more culturally and contextually appropriate manner, as is clearly defined in an increasing range of Indigenous health policy documents. This paper will begin with a summary of the link between mental and physical health supported by key references. It will then briefly reflect on the current organisation of mental and physical health services in remote Indigenous settings of Far North Queensland and the Northern Territory, identifying some of the major disadvantages being experienced. The paper will close with a description of the approach and some early outcomes to address these issues by the Indigenous Stream of the AIMhi project (Australian Integrated Mental Health Initiative), which is a major National Health & Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) Strategic Partnership initiative that began implementing a framework of research activities in mid-2003.

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