Stakeholders' perceptions of the main challenges facing Ghana's mental health care system
A qualitative analysis
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12921418 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Victor Doku (Kintampo Health Research Centre), Angela Ofori-Atta (0000-0001-5959-995X, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital), Bright Akpalu (Kintampo Health Research Centre), Akwasi Osei (Ministry of Health), U M Read (0000-0002-9482-7898, University College London), Cooper (0000-0001-9894-236X, University of Cape Town, corresponding author), The MHaPP Research Programme Consor |
| Year | 2011 |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 8-22 |
| Publication date | 2011-05-11 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Culture and Mental Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1754-2863 • E-ISSN: 1754-2871 |
| Publisher | Routledge (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/17542863.2010.503038 |
| OpenAlex | W2024927145 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
| References cited | 17 |
Mental health remains a low priority in Ghana. No comprehensive studies have assessed the current status of mental health policy, legislation and services in Ghana. This paper presents the qualitative results of a situation analysis conducted as part of the first phase of the Mental Health and Poverty Project. The aim of this paper was to explore what a range of stakeholders perceive as the main challenges facing Ghana's mental health system and the primary ways of addressing them. A total of 81 interviews and seven focus groups were held with key stakeholders drawn from five of the 10 regions in Ghana. The major challenges identified included: inadequate implementation of mental health policy; legislative limbo; inadequate human and financial resource; widespread stigma; dominance of psychiatric hospitals; and insufficient human rights protections for the mentally ill. A range of policy, legislative and service-related recommendations were made for addressing the situation. The results revealed that mental health services in Ghana need to scaled-up to respond to unmet needs in ways that are cost-effective within the budget of a low-income country. Enacting the current mental health bill and identifying strategies for overcoming the barriers to policy implementation will mark significant steps forward
Mental health · Mental health care · Perception · Psychiatry · Qualitative research · Sociology · Applied Psychology · Family Caregiving in Mental Illness · HIV/AIDS Impact and Responses · Medicine · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Nursing · Psychology
Key Barriers to the Provision and Utilization of Mental Health Services in Low-and Middle-Income Countries
Perspectives of community members on homeless people with mental illness in Nsawam, Ghana
Pathways to mental health treatment in Ghana
Representations of Mental Illness in a Ga Community in Southern Ghana
Supernatural belief systems, mental health and perceptions of mental disorders in Ghana
Human Rights Violations and Mental Illness
Social Inclusion of People with Mental Illness
World Mental Health
Mental illness stigma
Introduction
Mental health systems in countries
No health without mental health
Mental health of young people
Qualitative research in health care
Decentralization of health systems in Ghana, Zambia, Uganda and the Philippines
Reforming the health sector in developing countries
Mental Health Policy Development and Implementation in Four African Countries
| Unique citing works | 6 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0.43 |
| Citation span | 2012 - 2023 (12) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 5 |