Knowledge Attitudes and Practices of Mental Health Amongst the Somali Community- Interviews From Garissa County

Abstract

Background: Mental disorders are a widely significant contributor to global burden of disease. Few studies have been done amongst the Somali community, leading to little empirical research that relates to knowledge, attitudes, and practices of mental illness amongst this conservative population. Objectives: The study aimed to assess, the knowledge, attitudes and recovery-oriented practices towards people suffering from mental disorders among a group of Somali community members. Methodology: This was a grounded theory study that employed only qualitative methods of data collection and analysis. A total sample of 24 respondents who included the primary caregivers, traditional healers (Somali Sheikhs and clan elders) and health service providers (psychiatric nurses, clinical officers, physician, nurses, social worker and surgeon) included in the study. The purposive sampling method was used to select purposively the key informants. Eight (8) Somali primary caregivers who were from the directory of Garissa General Hospital, eight (8) health service providers at the hospital and eight (8) traditional healers who use traditional remedies and practices in treating or managing mental disorders recruited from a nearby mosque at Garissa General Hospital. The populations then clustered to get the representative reach of each. The primary data collection instruments used upon consent of the respondents included both general interviews guided approach and focus group discussions between the periods of 10th April 2017 to 21st April 2017. In the beginning, the respondents were interviewed individually as crucial informants and then later brought together in 3 separate focus group discussions, one for each group. The Nvivo software was used for data analysis and qualitative presentations in forms of direct quotations from the respondents used. Results: The findings show that majority of the respondents believed that Jinn and evil eye as the primary causes of mental illnesses, and stated that Quran reading was an essential remedy for it. Respondents also emphasized the need for empathy and positive attitudes towards the patients. xi Conclusion: Traditional beliefs regarding the causation of mental illness were widespread even among the respondents including the medical workers. These beliefs could be due to perhaps poor diagnosis and management of mental illnesses in the medical facilities that make the outcomes similar to that of patients managed by traditional healers thus reinforcing the beliefs in the latter. Recommendation: The study recommends improvement of mental health services together with continuous psycho-education. This recommendation could change the attitudes and practices regarding mental illnesses. Further, the mental health department of the hospitals in Garissa should foster collaboration between themselves, traditional healers and the county government to improve mental health awareness in the community further. The findings also suggest that Garissa General Hospital mental health department should include voluntary counseling sessions and support groups for the primary caregivers and health service providers to build firm support, show goodwill and increase awareness among the caregivers. Limitations: The study was limited to a small size sample of respondents at Garissa County, so the result may not be generalized to the rest of Somali community in Garissa County or at large.