Northampton Electronic Collection of Theses and Research

Pathways to mental healthcare in south-eastern Nigeria

Ikwuka, U., Galbraith, N., Manktelow, K., Chen-Wilson, J., Oyebode, F., Muomah, R. C. and Igboaka, A. (2015) Pathways to mental healthcare in south-eastern Nigeria. Transcultural Psychiatry. 53(5), pp. 574-594. 1363-4615.

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[thumbnail of Ikwuka_etal_TP_2016_Pathways_to_mental_healthcare_in_south-eastern_Nigeria_Manning_the_crossroads]
Ikwuka_etal_TP_2016_Pathways_to_mental_healthcare_in_south-eastern_Nigeria_Manning_the_crossroads
Ikwuka_etal_TP_2016_Pathways_to_mental_healthcare_in_south_eastern_Nigeria_Manning_the_crossroads.pdf - Accepted Version
Information
Abstract:
In sub-Saharan Africa, traditional and faith healers provide competing services alongside biomedical professionals. This may be associated with delays in reaching specialised mental health services, and hence with longer duration of untreated illness. As first line care constitutes a crucial stage in accessing of psychiatric care, investigating pathways to mental healthcare can highlight help-seeking choices. This study explored the pathways to care for mental illness preferred by a non-clinical sample of the population in south-eastern Nigeria. Multistage sampling was used to select participants (N = 706) who completed questionnaires on help-seeking. Results showed a significant preference for biomedical (90.8%) compared to spiritual (57.8%) and traditional (33.2%) pathways. Higher education predicted preference for the biomedical model, while low education was associated with traditional and spiritual pathways. Protestants preferred the spiritual pathway more than did Catholics. The use of biomedical care is potentially undermined by poor mental health infrastructure, a lack of fit between the culture of biomedical care and the deep-seated cultural/religious worldviews of the people, stigma surrounding mental illness, and the likelihood of a social desirability bias in responses. A complementary model of care is proposed.
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_being
Creators:
Ikwuka, U., Galbraith, N., Manktelow, K., Chen-Wilson, J., Oyebode, F., Muomah, R. C. and Igboaka, A.
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes:
Faculties > Faculty of Health & Society > Psychology
Date:
1 June 2015
Date Type:
Acceptance
Page Range:
pp. 574-594
Journal or Publication Title:
Transcultural Psychiatry
Volume:
53
Number:
5
Number of Pages:
21
Language:
English
DOI:
10.1177/1363461516660903
ISSN:
1363-4615
Status:
Published / Disseminated
Refereed:
Yes
Related URLs:
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