The sociocultural conceptualisations of schizophrenia and patterns of help seeking in south-east Nigeria |
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Authors: | Paul Chigozie Odinka Rosemary Chizobam Muomah Appolos Chidi Ndukuba Martins Oche Michael Ubigha Osika Muideen Owolabi Bakare |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Psychological Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Enugu 400001, Nigeriapaul.odinka@unn.edu.ng;3. Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu 400001, Nigeria;4. Department of Psychological Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Enugu 400001, Nigeria;5. Department of Psychological Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, Benue, Nigeria;6. Clinical Services, Psychiatric Hospital, Rumuigbo, Port Harcourt, Rivers State 500001, Nigeria;7. Clinical Services, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, New Haven, Enugu, Enugu State 400001 Nigeria |
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Abstract: | Socioculturally influenced interpretations of mental illness play decisive roles on the time and choice of treatment. These often result in significant delays before patients present at the psychiatric services, with consequent worsening of the prognosis. The aim was to assess the association between sociocultural factors, choice of treatment and treatment delay among patients with schizophrenia. A cross-sectional study of 360 patients with schizophrenia, without previous contact with any statutory psychiatric services, was done. Of this, 75.8% of the participants had visited traditional/faith healers as the first treatment option and have attributed schizophrenia to magico-supernatural causation, despite 70.0% of the participants being educated, while 24.2% of them believed in the natural causation of the illness and presented early to psychiatric hospital. There is a need for community-based psychiatric services that would have mental health education as one of their core mandates; and collaborations with traditional and faith-based healers aimed to reduce delay in their facilities. |
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Keywords: | culture religion beliefs schizophrenia help seeking |
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