From global-to-local: rural mental health in South Africa

Vergunst, Richard

doi:10.1080/16549716.2017.1413916

Cited by 21 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Of the five provinces that received training, two provincial capitals were selected for evaluation: Bloemfontein (Mangaung Metropolitan District, Free State Province), in which 84 healthcare workers received the sensitisation training, and Mafikeng (Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, North-West Province), in which no training intervention was implemented. These locations were selected because they are characteristic of the public health system outside of major South African metropolitan areas (poor infrastructure, under-resourced, operating with inadequate health personnel, and with significant financial and geographic barriers to accessing healthcare), 33,34 and because implementation and scale up of key population HIV programmes in these areas were lacking at the time the research was completed. The number of locations was limited by the resources available for the evaluation.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘We must treat them like all the other people’: Evaluating the Integrated Key Populations Sensitivity Training Programme for Healthcare Workers in South Africa

Duby

Fong-Jaen

Nkosi

et al. 2019

Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine

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Background Sensitisation training can reduce judgemental and discriminatory attitudes amongst healthcare workers. The ‘Integrated Key Populations Sensitivity Training Programme for Healthcare Workers in South Africa’ aimed to improve access to appropriate and non-judgemental health services for ‘key populations’, specifically men who have sex with men, sex workers and people who use drugs, through the sensitisation of healthcare workers. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the integrated key population sensitisation training intervention for healthcare workers, conducted between 2013 and 2014 in South Africa. Methods This study used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative methods compared attitudes between healthcare workers who received the training intervention and those who did not. Quantitative methods were used to compare similar changes in awareness amongst healthcare workers before and after receiving the training. We explored shifts in attitudes towards key populations, changes in awareness of health issues related to stigma, discrimination, and changes in capacity to manage sexual health and HIV risk behaviours, including substance use and anal sex. Results The findings indicate that the training intervention resulted in a shift in attitudes, increased empathy for key populations, a reduction in negative and discriminatory moral-based judgements towards key populations and their behaviours, and increased self-perceived capacity to provide appropriate health services to key populations. Over 70% of healthcare workers trained in this programme strongly agreed that this intervention helped to increase awareness of psychosocial vulnerabilities of key populations, and address stigmatising attitudes. Conclusion The findings suggest that sensitisation training increases healthcare workers’ knowledge and awareness about specific HIV-related health needs and psychosocial vulnerabilities of key populations, reduces moralising and judgemental attitudes, and results in healthcare workers feeling more skilled to provide appropriate and sensitive services.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘We must treat them like all the other people’: Evaluating the Integrated Key Populations Sensitivity Training Programme for Healthcare Workers in South Africa

Duby

Fong-Jaen

Nkosi

et al. 2019

Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine

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“…Furthermore, most participants in the study described shortages of staff as a significant challenge within the facilities where they access their treatment, despite the treatment they receive. This is supported by a study by Vergunst 26 who suggested that rural areas in South Africa often do not have psychiatrists or psychologists and rely primarily on general practitioners (GPs) and nurses for mental health interventions. This has been highlighted further by a study by the SAHRC 6 which indicated that in 2017 the South African Society of Psychiatry reported that there were only six psychiatrists working in the entire public mental health system in the Limpopo province and facilities such as Hayani specialist mental health hospital did not have a psychiatrist on staff.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…A study by Vergunst 26 indicated that rural communities in South Africa experience significant barriers to accessing healthcare. It is important to consider this relatively recent research publication at this juncture, as it demonstrates about the current the challenges of persons living with mental disorders.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is important to consider this relatively recent research publication at this juncture, as it demonstrates about the current the challenges of persons living with mental disorders. The study by Vergunst 26 highlighted that the high cost of transport and the long distances needed to be travelled makes it increasingly burdensome for people from the rural areas to access healthcare. This problem was expressed by the following participant in this study:…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The experiences and perceptions of mental health service provision at a primary health centre in the Eastern Cape

Booysen

Mahe-Poyo

Grant³

2021

South African Journal of Psychiatry

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Background: Since 1994, the South African healthcare system has undergone several changes to meet the needs of contemporary South Africa. Yet the state of mental healthcare, especially in low-resource areas, remains in a precarious state.Aim: This study aimed to explore how persons diagnosed with a mental disorder experience and perceive mental health services in a low-resource community in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.Setting: The study was conducted at a primary care clinic in a low resource community setting in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants diagnosed with mental illness who had been accessing treatment for at least the past 6 months from a primary health clinic. Thematic analysis was used to analyse and identify pertinent themes.Results: The following themes emerged from the data: (1) perceptions of mental disorders – role of culture, (2) experiences of having mental disorders – loss of employment, (3) problem of stigma – social rejection and labelling, (4) experience of distress – sadness and frustration and (5) challenges in accessing treatment – transport fee and shortage of staff.Conclusion: This study yielded several lived experiences and perceptions in relation to participants’ feelings, opinions and interpretations of persons living with mental disorders and accessing mental health treatment in their local context. Future interventions should consider provision of more extensive professional help in the form of counsellors and social workers at the clinics, more efficient service delivery and future interventions regarding stigma should incorporate community members into the learning process.

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“…Combined communication technology interventions often result in effective health outcomes and are feasible substitutes for traditional health promotion approaches such as printed material [ 52 , 53 ]. Vergunst [ 54 ] also recommended that creative interventions need to be established for caregivers in resource-poor settings such as rural areas to bridge gaps in mental health service delivery for the individual, the family, and the community. Although communication technology interventions are potentially valuable to support caregivers of children with mental and behavioral problems [ 55 ], limited data are available even though it is a major public health concern [ 56 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Communication Technology Use by Caregivers of Adolescents With Mental Health Issues: Systematic Review

Jansen¹,

Reid²

2020

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

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Background Caregivers of adolescents with mental health issues experience challenges that may result in the caregivers having a variety of unmet needs. There is a growing need to support these caregivers. Effective support to strengthen positive caregiving behavior in caregivers may address their challenges. Communication technologies offer novel opportunities to assist these caregivers and may contribute to strengthening caregiver behavior. However, little is known about the use of communication technologies among caregivers of adolescents with mental health issues. Objective The study aimed to answer the question: “What is the best evidence available to strengthen positive behavior of caregivers of adolescents with mental health issues using communication technology.” Methods A systematic review of articles published between January 2007 and August 2018 was conducted. Searches included articles of multiple study designs from EBSCO Host and Scopus platforms with prespecified eligibility criteria. Methodological quality was evaluated using the applicable Critical Appraisal Skills Programme and Joanna Briggs Institute assessment tools. Results The search yielded 1746 articles. Altogether, 5 articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review for data synthesis. Data analysis and synthesis identified three thematic conclusions reflecting the types of communication technologies used, caregivers as the target population, and strengthening of positive behavior through determinants of the Integrated Model of Behavior Prediction. Conclusions The review reported the usefulness of communication technology by caregivers. Caregivers also demonstrated improvement in self-efficacy, knowledge, parent-child communication, and parental skills reflecting positive behavior. Although the use of communication technology is expanding as a supportive intervention to address caregivers’ needs, the evidence for usefulness among caregivers of adolescents with mental health issues is still scarce. More research and information related to preferred methods of communication delivery among caregivers of adolescents is still needed.

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From global-to-local: rural mental health in South Africa

Cited by 21 publications

References 30 publications

‘We must treat them like all the other people’: Evaluating the Integrated Key Populations Sensitivity Training Programme for Healthcare Workers in South Africa

‘We must treat them like all the other people’: Evaluating the Integrated Key Populations Sensitivity Training Programme for Healthcare Workers in South Africa

The experiences and perceptions of mental health service provision at a primary health centre in the Eastern Cape

Communication Technology Use by Caregivers of Adolescents With Mental Health Issues: Systematic Review

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