Academic literature on the topic 'Mental health – Tanzania'

Zambia, previously called Northern Rhodesia, was a colony of Great Britain until 1964, when it gained independence and changed its name. It is a landlocked country located in southern Africa and shares its borders with Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Congo and Angola. It has an area of 752 612 km2, about three times the size of Britain, but a population of only 12 million.

Malawi is a country in sub-Saharan Africa bordering Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. It has an area of approximately 118000 km2 and is divided into northern, central and southern regions. It has an estimated population of 13 million, 47% of whom are under 15 years of age and just 5% over 60 years. Its economy is largely based on agriculture, with tobacco being the main export. The projected growth in gross domestic product (GDP) for 2007 was 8.8%; GDP per capita was $284 per annum.

Abstract:Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) has been found to be effective in treating mental health problems in the UK, but little has been done to evaluate the potential of CBT in developing countries. This paper aims to discuss the development and implementation of a CBT training course for clinicians working in Tanzania's main psychiatric hospital in the capital city, Dodoma. A 12-session training course in CBT was delivered to nine clinicians. An outcome evaluation was conducted using multiple measures and methods, taken before and after the training. Information on cultural adaptations of the training was obtained. All participants completed the course, but there were several obstacles to full completion of the evaluation measures. Despite this, there were significant improvements in clinicians’ basic understanding of CBT concepts, and their ability to apply the CBT model to formulate and recommend treatment strategies in response to a clinical case. Qualitative information indicated the potential of developing CBT training and implementation further. As a pilot study, this investigation shows the promise that CBT holds for mental health services in Tanzania. Further research into the training and clinical effectiveness of CBT in Tanzania is indicated.

There is limited information about stakeholder perceptions of health service provision in low- and middle-income countries. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 821 stakeholders of the community mental health services in Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania. The aim was to obtain systematic information about coverage, barriers, accountability and room for improvement as a baseline before implementation of a new mental health policy to strengthen mental health services.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine perceived barriers to utilization of mental health services among adults in Dodoma Municipality, Tanzania. To improve the use of mental health services, identifying related perceived barriers is a key step. Design/methodology/approach – A concurrent mixed method model was used. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews (n=152) using a structured survey questionnaire. In addition in-depth interviews were conducted (n=10). The quantitative data were analyzed by using Epi info version 2002. Content analysis was used for analyzing qualitative data. Findings – The majority of respondents opted to use modern mental health facilities for mental illness treatment. They also used spiritual healing and other forms traditional methods including herbal medicines. The most frequently identified causes of mental illness were: drug abuse, being cursed and witchcraft, demons or evil spirit possession. The reported significant perceived barriers were stigma, economic, lack of transport, witchcraft, lack of awareness of mental health services, unemployment, and negative believes about professional cure. Originality/value – The option for mental health service utilization is influenced by the existing barriers on community and clients’ perception. There is a need for mental health professionals and policy makers to integrate mental health into primary care. Mutual sharing of knowledge between mental health professionals and tradition healers is warranted. Further research on the attitudes toward mental health professional services and on effectiveness of traditional healers’ services is indicated.

Background. Acute pesticide poisoning (APP) is a serious problem worldwide. Because the burden of childhood APP is unknown in Tanzania, this study describes the distribution, circumstances, and patterns of APP involving children under 18 years in Tanzania. Methodology. A 12-month prospective study was conducted in 10 Tanzanian healthcare facilities in 2006 using a data collection tool for surveillance. Results. Of 53 childhood poisoning cases identified, 56.6% were female. The most common poisoning circumstances were accidents (49.1%) and suicide (30.2%). The most vulnerable children were 16-17 years old (30.2%). Suicide was significantly more common in females (PRR females/males = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.03–2.68) and accidental cases were more common in children aged 10 years or younger. Suicide was concentrated in children over 10 years, comprising 53% of cases in this age group. Organophosphates (OPs), zinc phosphide, and endosulfan were common amongst reported poisoning agents. The annual APP incidence rate was 1.61/100,000. Conclusion. APP is common among children in this region of Tanzania. Prevention of suicide in older children should address mental health issues and control access to toxic pesticides. Prevention of accidents in younger children requires safer storage and hygiene measures. Diverse interventions are needed to reduce pesticide poisoning among children in Tanzania.

Thesis (MCur (Nursing Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research study aims at enhancing the utilisation of primary mental health care services in Dodoma, Tanzania. Primary health care (PHC) according to the Alma Ata conference 1948 is an essential part of the health care system for bringing health care closer to where people live and work, is people-centred, affordable and achieves better health outcomes, and is considered to contribute to communities’ social and economical development. PHC facilities in Tanzania are health centres and dispensaries, which are within five kilometres from where people live. In the 1980s’ countries integrated mental health into PHC to improve the mental health status of their people. To facilitate delivery of Primary Mental Health Care (PMHC), Tanzania has formulated a mental health policy and trained PHC workers on mental health. Despite of these efforts, people still go to referral hospitals for mental health care services. However, authors commented that “when comprehensive primary health is implemented fully” it will bring about security, safety and hope to people and therefore, they will continue to fend for health for all. The main aim was to explore and describe why people go to referral hospitals instead of utilising PMHC services closer to them. A qualitative descriptive clinical ethnographic research design was employed to examine the mental health care-giving within the context of this research. Purposive non-probability sampling was utilised. Sample size was determined by the saturation. Data collection methods were in two phases. Phase one was participative observation on mental health care-giving in the Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities for a period of at least four weeks, and phase two was by use of an in-depth interview with family members at referral hospitals who had passed Primary Health Care facilities. Data analysis was an open thematic coding. Trustworthiness of the research was established through credibility, dependability, conformability, triangulation and a thick description. The findings of this research suggested that there is inadequate service delivery at PHC facilities, disrespect of patients and lack of knowledge on available services and on referral systems, which led to not utilising the available Primary Mental Health Care services. In conclusion the researcher expresses the recommendations of this research in the form of strategies.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsing is daarop gemik om die gebruik van primêre geestesgesondheidsorg dienste in Dodoma, Tanzanië te bevorder. Volgens die Alma Ata verklaring van 1948 is primêre gesondheid sorg (PGS) ʼn noodsaaklike deel van die gesondheidsorg stelsel ten einde gesondheidsorg nader na mense werkplek en tuistes te neem. PGS is persoons-gesentreerd, bekostigbaar en het beter gesondheids resultate, dit word aanvaar dat PGS bydra tot die sosiale en ekonomoiese ontwikkeling van gemeenskappe. PGS fasiliteite in Tanzanië is hoofsaaklik gesondheidsentra en apteke, wat binne ʼn radius van vyf kilometere vanaf mense se woninigs is. Gedurende die 1980’s het lande geestesgesondheid integreer in die PGS stelsel in ’n poging om die geestesgesondheidstatus van mense te verbeter. Ten einde die lewering van primêre geestesgesondheid sorg (PGGS) te verbeter het Tanzanië ʼn geestesgesondheidsbeleid geformuleer en primêre gesondheidsorg werkers opgelei in geestesgesondheidsorg. As omvattende primêre gesondheidsorg ten volle implementeer is sal dit bydra tot sekuriteit, veiligheid en hoop en mense sal aanhou veg vir ”gesondheid vir almal”. Die hoofdoel van hierdie navorsingstudie was ʼn ondersoek en beskrywing ten opsigte van die redes waarom mense eerder verwysings hospitale as PGS fasiliteite nader aan hulle besoek. Die navorser het gebruik gemaak van ʼn kwalitatiewe, beskrywende kliniese etnografiese studie ten einde geestesgesondheidsorglewering te ondersoek binne die konteks van hierdie studie. Die navorser het doelgerigte nie-waarskynlikheids steekproefneming gebruik en die versadigingsvlak is bereik deur middel van data-saturasie. Data is tydens twee fases ingesamel. Fase een was gekenmerk deur deelnemende observasie ten opsigte van geestesgesondheidsorg lewering in ʼn PGS fassiliteite. Tydens fase twee het die navorser in-diepte onderhoude gevoer met famililede van die persoon wat eerder die verwysings hospitaal as PGS fasiliteit besoek het. Data analise is gedoen deur tematiese, kwalitatiewe kodering te gebruik. Betroubaarheid van die navorsing is verkry deur middel van vertrouenswaardigheid, eerbaarheid, triangulasie en in-diepte beskrywing. Die bevindings van hierdie navorsings studie suggereer die teenwoordigheid van ondoeltreffende diens lewering by PGS fasiliteite, onrespekvolle hantering van pasiënte en gebrekkige kennis rondom die beskikbare dienste en verwyssings stelsel in plek, derhalwe maak pasiënte eerder gebruik van die verwysings hospitale. Gevolglik beveel die navorser aan dat strategieë gebasseer op die resultate van hierdie navorsings geïmplementeer word.

Bill’s Tanzanian attorney flies to Maswa with the bail notice but finds that Bill has been moved to Butimba Prison in Mwanza, where medical support is good, and so the request for bail is withdrawn. Peace Corps assistant general counsel Anthony (Tony) Essaye arrives from Washington, D.C., and directs planning of the next steps in the case. Butimba Prison offers quite reasonable facilities, although Bill is later moved temporarily to a prison near Maswa with less-accommodating facilities. Fellow volunteers visit Bill in prison and describe the conditions. Dr. McHugh and an American priest visit Bill in prison and come away quite concerned about his mental health. Paul Sack sends a letter to Peace Corps volunteers describing the prison conditions.