Barriers to mental health service utilisation in Sudan - perspectives of carers and psychiatrists.
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Authors
Ali, Sara H
Agyapong, Vincent I O
Issue Date
2016-01-27
Type
Journal Article
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
In order to scale up mental health care nationally, barriers to health services utilisation need to be identified and addressed.
The aim of this study was to identify barriers to mental health services utilization in Sudan from the perspectives of carer's of mentally ill patients and psychiatrists and to make recommendations to address the identified barriers.
Mixed research methods were used in this cross sectional survey. The quantitative part was conducted with carers of mentally ill patients who were staying in Tijani Elmahi psychiatric hospital in Sudan, and the qualitative part was conducted with the psychiatric consultants in the country.
103 carers and six psychiatric consultants participated in the study. According to carers, the main barriers to utilisation of mental health services includes: the beliefs around mental illness, resorting to alternative treatments such as religious and traditional healers, centralization of mental health services, inadequate number of mental health staff, and mental health not being a priority by policy makers. In addition to these barriers, the psychiatric consultants identified stigma, cost of medications, and worries about medication's side effects as barriers to the utilisation of mental health services. The carers and psychiatrists proposed several solutions to address the barriers to health services utilisation.
Carers and psychiatrists are aware of the barriers to mental health services utilisation in Sudan. Addressing these barriers require a health policy and political response.
The aim of this study was to identify barriers to mental health services utilization in Sudan from the perspectives of carer's of mentally ill patients and psychiatrists and to make recommendations to address the identified barriers.
Mixed research methods were used in this cross sectional survey. The quantitative part was conducted with carers of mentally ill patients who were staying in Tijani Elmahi psychiatric hospital in Sudan, and the qualitative part was conducted with the psychiatric consultants in the country.
103 carers and six psychiatric consultants participated in the study. According to carers, the main barriers to utilisation of mental health services includes: the beliefs around mental illness, resorting to alternative treatments such as religious and traditional healers, centralization of mental health services, inadequate number of mental health staff, and mental health not being a priority by policy makers. In addition to these barriers, the psychiatric consultants identified stigma, cost of medications, and worries about medication's side effects as barriers to the utilisation of mental health services. The carers and psychiatrists proposed several solutions to address the barriers to health services utilisation.
Carers and psychiatrists are aware of the barriers to mental health services utilisation in Sudan. Addressing these barriers require a health policy and political response.
Description
Citation
Ali, S. H., & Agyapong, V. I. O. (2016). Barriers to mental health service utilisation in Sudan - perspectives of carers and psychiatrists. BMC health services research, 16, 31. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-016-1280-2
Publisher
License
Journal
BMC health services research
Volume
16
Issue
PubMed ID
DOI
10.1186/s12913-016-1280-2
10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61263-X
10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60891-X
10.11604/pamj.2013.14.159.1970
10.1176/ps.62.7.pss6207_0774
10.1186/1753-2000-6-16
10.1186/s40303-015-0014-4
10.1016/j.jad.2009.04.020
10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2014.08.008
10.1111/j.1475-6773.2010.01228.x
10.1186/1471-244X-12-79
10.1002/jts.22032
10.1016/j.jad.2013.06.022
10.1186/1472-698X-14-22
10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61392-0
10.1093/heapol/czl003
10.1016/j.brat.2011.06.012
10.1111/j.1440-1584.2012.01282.x
10.1186/s12960-015-0050-2
10.3402/gha.v8.28955
10.1192/bjp.bp.111.092155
10.1186/1752-4458-5-26
10.1017/S0033291709005224
10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61263-X
10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60891-X
10.11604/pamj.2013.14.159.1970
10.1176/ps.62.7.pss6207_0774
10.1186/1753-2000-6-16
10.1186/s40303-015-0014-4
10.1016/j.jad.2009.04.020
10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2014.08.008
10.1111/j.1475-6773.2010.01228.x
10.1186/1471-244X-12-79
10.1002/jts.22032
10.1016/j.jad.2013.06.022
10.1186/1472-698X-14-22
10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61392-0
10.1093/heapol/czl003
10.1016/j.brat.2011.06.012
10.1111/j.1440-1584.2012.01282.x
10.1186/s12960-015-0050-2
10.3402/gha.v8.28955
10.1192/bjp.bp.111.092155
10.1186/1752-4458-5-26
10.1017/S0033291709005224
ISSN
1472-6963