Mental illness in some Sub Saharan African communities: the perspective of Bioethics and transcultural nursing

In this paper, transcultural nursing is reviewed in light of bioethical issues arising from the interpretation of mental illness in some Western Sub-Saharan African communities. Four field studies were carried out by the authors of this paper in Sub-Saharan Africa (from 2016 to 2019), during which the traditional “treatment” of enchaining people considered “crazy” by local cultures was explored. These inhuman practices raise the attention of bioethics, which investigate ways to overcome this traditional practice not violating the cultural identity of the peoples who practice it. The model of Gregoire Ahongbonon and of his Association, “Saint Camille de Lellis”, is reported as an example of negotiation between the respect for traditions and the guarantee of human rights. The care practice in force in the Saint Camille is related to transcultural nursing as an adequate form of treatment and strategy for restoring patients’ dignity and rights.

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Exploring the Phenomenology of Mental Illness in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Case Study of Ghana

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e511612018-001 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Emma Mathias

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Sub Saharan

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Economic burden of caregiving for persons with severe mental illness in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0199830 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. e0199830 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Rebecca Addo ◽

Samuel Agyei Agyemang ◽

Yesim Tozan ◽

Justice Nonvignon

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Severe Mental Illness ◽

Economic Burden ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Sub Saharan

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Rehabilitation of Individuals With Schizophrenia: a Scoping Review Protocol of Evidence From Sub-saharan Africa

10.21203/rs.3.rs-45897/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Oyeyemi Olajumoke Oyelade ◽

Nokuthula Gloria Nkosi-Mafutha

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Psychosocial Rehabilitation ◽

Implementation Strategies ◽

Implementation Process ◽

Principal Investigator ◽

Mental Illnesses ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Independent Decision

Abstract Background: The rehabilitation of an individual with mental illness is an evidenced-based approach to reducing the burden of the illness and the associated stigma globally. Specifically, in Africa, it has promising value for African life and the African economy. Psychosocial rehabilitation is described as a set of approaches that aim to assist an individual in achieving restoration from a state of dependency caused by schizophrenia to a state of being an independent decision-maker. However, there seems to be a dearth of literature and implementation of psychosocial rehabilitation in Africa. Therefore, it is necessary to map articles on how rehabilitation is conducted for people living with the most chronic form of mental illness, schizophrenia, in Africa.Methods: This study will adopt the Arsey and O’Malley scoping review framework to search and compile relevant articles. This process will involve three steps: title screening, which will be performed solely by the principal investigator, followed by abstract and full-text screening, which will be performed independently by two reviewers (the principal investigator and co-investigator). The data charting form will be used by both reviewers for screening, while Rayyan QCRI, a systematic reviews web app, will be used for tracking the screening records. The quality of articles identified for screening will be assessed by the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT), and content analysis of the screened articles will be performed with NVivo.Discussion: This study has the likelihood of revealing a research gap in rehabilitation approaches and methods. The results of the review will constitute part of the available evidence that the researchers aim to adopt in the broader part of the project, which aims to develop implementation strategies for the rehabilitation of chronic mental illnesses, specifically schizophrenia, in Sub-Saharan Africa. The implementation process also encompasses the dissemination of the findings of this review to stakeholders, which will enhance their knowledge of the current state of Sub-Saharan Africa and may stimulate support for the implementation of rehabilitation strategies.

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Mental health in Sierra Leone

BJPsych International ◽

10.1192/bji.2019.17 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 14-16 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dawn Harris ◽

Tarik Endale ◽

Unn Hege Lind ◽

Stephen Sevalie ◽

Abdulai Jawo Bah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Sierra Leone ◽

Quality Care ◽

Mental Health Policy ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

National Budget ◽

People With Mental Illness ◽

Provide Quality Care ◽

Sub Saharan

Sierra Leone is a West African country with a population of just over 7 million. Many Sierra Leoneans lived through the psychologically distressing events of the civil war (1991–2002), the 2014 Ebola outbreak and frequent floods. Traditionally, mental health services have been delivered at the oldest mental health hospital in sub-Saharan Africa, with no services available anywhere else in the country. Mental illness remains highly stigmatised. Recent advances include revision of the Mental Health Policy and Strategic Plan and the strengthening of mental health governance and district services. Many challenges lie ahead, with the crucial next steps including securing a national budget line for mental health, reviewing mental health legislation, systematising training of mental health specialists and prioritising the procurement of psychotropic medications. National and international commitment must be made to reduce the treatment gap and provide quality care for people with mental illness in Sierra Leone.

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Explanatory models of mental illness in sub-Saharan Africa

Social Science & Medicine ◽

10.1016/0277-9536(94)00231-h ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 40 (9) ◽

pp. 1291-1298 ◽

Cited By ~ 112

Author(s):

Vikram Patel

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Explanatory Models ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Sub Saharan

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Attitudes towards mental illness in Uganda: a survey in 18 districts

International Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/s1749367600005130 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 19-21 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vuokko Wallace ◽

Jed Boardman ◽

James Walsh

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Health Workers ◽

Mental Healthcare ◽

Traditional Healers ◽

Capital City ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Psychiatric Nurses ◽

Poor Access ◽

Sub Saharan

Uganda, in common with many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, has many population risk factors predictive of high levels of mental disorder but poor coverage of mental healthcare (Kigozi, 2005). Recent population studies conducted in Uganda have shown rates of disorder in excess of 20% (Kasoro et al, 2002; Bolton et al, 2004; Ovuga et al, 2005) and the survey by Kasoro et al (2002) showed a high prevalence of patients with severe mental illness and poor access to services. There are 19 psychiatrists for 24.8 million people in Uganda, all but one of whom is based in the capital city, Kampala (Kigozi, 2005). The provision of mental health services relies on the use of psychiatric clinical officers (a cadre of trained mental health workers, similar to community psychiatric nurses, who currently cover 18 of the 56 districts in Uganda), primary care personnel, non-governmental organisations and members of the community. Liaison with traditional healers is encouraged (Ovuga et al, 1999).

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Designing and implementing an electronic health record system in primary care practice in sub-Saharan Africa: a case study from Cameroon

Journal of Innovation in Health Informatics ◽

10.14236/jhi.v13i3.595 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 179-186 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Raoul Kamadjeu ◽

Euloge Tapang ◽

Roland Moluh

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

Electronic Health Record ◽

Primary Care Practice ◽

Electronic Health Record System ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Care Practice ◽

Health Record ◽

Record System ◽

Sub Saharan

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Rapid decay of dolichos [Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet] residue leads to loss of nitrogen benefit to succeeding maize (Zea mays L.)

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea06146 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 47 (8) ◽

pp. 1000 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

E. K. Cheruiyot ◽

S. M. Mwonga ◽

L. M. Mumera ◽

J. K. Macharia ◽

I. M. Tabu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Maize Yield ◽

Field Studies ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Residue Management ◽

Lablab Purpureus ◽

Residue Removal ◽

Dolichos Lablab ◽

Residue Incorporation ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Set Up

The traditional natural fallows are no longer practicable in sub-Saharan Africa and technologies to replace them are being popularised through management of short fallow systems. Dolichos [Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet] is among the legumes used to improve such fallows and its residues are incorporated to improve yield of succeeding cereal. Two field studies were conducted to determine dolichos residue mineralisation schedule and response of maize to timing of the residue incorporation, to establish if the current residue incorporation practice maximises nutrient benefit to succeeding cereal. Dolichos residue was applied at 2 t/ha in litterbags, buried in the field at 15-cm depth and retrieved after 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 weeks, and the remaining debris analysed for loss of weight, N, P and K. A parallel split-plot experiment was set up to determine response of maize to time of residue incorporation, with or without fertiliser nitrogen supplementation. The main plot treatments were nitrogen fertiliser applied at 0, 30 and 60 kg/ha at sixth fully opened leaf in maize. The subplot treatments were residue management regimes, which included four residue incorporation times of 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks before sowing maize, residue removal off the field, residue mulched on surface and traditional weedy fallow. Results show rapid loss of N, with 50% being released within the first 2–4 weeks after burying. Residue incorporated at 2 and 4 weeks before sowing improved maize yield, while residue removal off-field reduced yield comparably with the traditional weedy fallow. However, there were no statistical differences among the timing of the dolichos residue incorporation. These results reflect poor synchrony of mineralised N and uptake by succeeding maize as currently practiced and suggest residue incorporation closer to sowing maize to benefit the cereal.

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Software Development for the Water Sector

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.18-19.543 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 18-19 ◽

pp. 543-548

Author(s):

Akpofure E. Taigbenu ◽

Adesola A. Ilemobade

Keyword(s):

Software Development ◽

Water Distribution ◽

Water Distribution Network ◽

Field Studies ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Paradigm Shifts ◽

Water Sector ◽

Postgraduate Students ◽

Groundwater Flow Modelling ◽

Sub Saharan

The water sector in the last 20 years has undergone radical paradigm shifts arising from the crisis of global proportions that have characterized the sector, prompting many international fora, including the Dublin conference in January 1992. One of the responses from academic institutions to this crisis is the development of computer-based predictive tools for better and more accurate prediction of the variables that affect water use and management. In the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand, attempts have been made to develop software to aid planning, management, and decision making in the water sector. Two of such software are Wadessy - a water distribution network design software, and a groundwater flow modelling software GEMFLOW that is based on the Green element method (GEM). Although their engines are quite robust and have been applied in field studies in Botswana and Zimbabwe, and compare favourably with published models, their elegance in terms of graphical user interface (GUI) is still rudimentary. The cost for their development has been mainly in the training of postgraduate students who have assisted in their development. Industry uptake has been very limited, which is one of the reasons why their GUIs are still rudimentary. With greater investment into the development and marketing of these and many other software, the potential exists to have “made-in-Africa” software with capabilities comparable, if not better than, those developed in more advanced countries. This paper reports on these software, compares these with similar initiatives in more advanced countries, and discusses the challenges in development, funding, and uptake by industry. The experiences described herein are most likely to be similar with other software development initiatives in sub- Saharan Africa.

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