Determinants of Mental Health in Nigeria

Abstract

Mental health is a serious but grossly neglected issue in Nigeria. Not only has it suffered neglect in the health sector, but alternative practitioners are also getting more involved such as traditionalists, religious leaders, cultural leaders and older relatives of mental health patients. This has contributed to the worsening mental health status of the country. The aim of this review is to search the literature to identify recent determinants of mental health in Nigeria, categorize them based on the Dahlgren and Whitehead’s framework and analyse what have been done so far to implement interventions tailored towards these determinants. This should help policy makers make policies that will be effective in the local context and not just adopting policies from elsewhere when trying to salvage this problem.