MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION AND ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE UTILIZATION IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIA
Background: The psycho-social burden of mental health disorders is enormous as evidenced by a low level of knowledge about the cause and course of mental illness, scarcity of mental health personnel and stigmatization within the community. Hence individual living with mental illness continue to suffer inhumane form of treatment and lack access to formal mental health service.
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether mental health education program would yield access to mental health service (MHS) utilization in Ibadan, Nigeria.
Method: In this mixed-method approach (quantitative and qualitative), mental health education pprogram was carried out in selected religious places, markets and also the media using a Radio/Television program in Ibadan. The proportion of respondents who responded via telephone calls and later accessed treatment reported was analyzed. The Composite International Interview (CIDI 7.0) was used to allocate ICD 10and DSM IV diagnosis to respondents who had contact with MHS. A Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was conducted among a heterogeneous population to determine their knowledge and attitude to mental illnesses. Analyses were by Chi Square test and by thematic analysis.
Results: In all 12.1% made telephone calls, 33.0% of those who made telephone calls had contact with mental health facility. In all, 426 subjects had contact with mental health service post mental health literacy program. Of these 426 participants, 348 (81.7%) had an ICD 10 disorder, and the most prevalent was anxiety disorder (30.0%). Focus group discussion yielded further information on respondents view about aetiology and treatment of mental disorders.
Conclusion: Mental health literacy program is a feasible method of increasing access to formal mental health services in Nigeria