Popular, Traditional, and Professional Mental Health Care in Ethiopia

Kortmann, Frank

doi:10.1177/136346158702400401

Cited by 14 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…But a recent survey in a nearby area, a small town in western Ethiopia, reported biopsychosocial problems such as poverty, stress and drug abuse were believed to be important problems for mental illness besides religious/magical views such as God’s will or attack by evil spirit [6,8]. Mulatu also reported a similar finding of predominantly psychosocial and supernatural retribution as causes of mental than physical illnesses in North-western Ethiopia challenging the earlier report that lay Ethiopians exclusively believe in spiritual factors as causes of mental illnesses [6,33]. …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Perceived causes of severe mental disturbance and preferred interventions by the Borana semi-nomadic population in southern Ethiopia: a qualitative study

Teferra

Shibre

2012

BMC Psychiatry

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BackgroundCulture affects the way people conceptualize causes of severe mental disturbance which may lead to a variation in the preferred intervention methods. There is a seemingly dichotomous belief regarding what causes severe mental disturbance: people living in western countries tend to focus mainly on biological and psychosocial risk factors; whereas, in non-western countries the focus is mainly on supernatural and religious factors. These belief systems about causation potentially dictate the type of intervention preferred. Studying such belief systems in any society is expected to help in planning and implementation of appropriate mental health services.MethodsA qualitative study was conducted among the Borana semi-nomadic population in southern Ethiopia to explore perceived causes of severe mental disturbance and preferred interventions. We selected, using purposive sampling, key informants from three villages and conducted a total of six focus group discussions: three for males and three for females.ResultsThe views expressed regarding the causes of mental disturbance were heterogeneous encompassing supernatural causes such as possession by evil spirits, curse, bewitchment, ‘exposure to wind’ and subsequent attack by evil spirit in postnatal women and biopsychosocial causes such as infections (malaria), loss, ‘thinking too much’, and alcohol and khat abuse. The preferred interventions for severe mental disturbance included mainly indigenous approaches, such as consulting Borana wise men or indigenous healers, prayer, holy water treatment and seeking modern mental health care as a last resort.ConclusionsThese findings will be of value for health care planners who wish to expand modern mental health care to this population, indicating the need to increase awareness about the causes of severe mental disturbance and their interventions and collaborate with influential people and indigenous healers to increase acceptability of modern mental health care. It also provides information for further research in the area of mental health in this semi-nomadic population.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Perceived causes of severe mental disturbance and preferred interventions by the Borana semi-nomadic population in southern Ethiopia: a qualitative study

Teferra

Shibre

2012

BMC Psychiatry

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“…Physical conceptualizations of mental health problems have also been documented, for example, Edgerton (1966) found that the Sebei and Potok tribes attributed 'madness' to the presence of a worm in the front part of the brain. Drugs and alcohol have also been implicated in Ethiopia, East Africa and Zimbabawe (Edgerton, 1966;Kortmann, 1987;Patel, 1995), as has anaemia in Kenya (Good, 1987), blood impurities in Botswana (Dale & Ben Tovim, 1984) and rapid changes in climate and poor diet in Ghana (Fosu, 1981). More recent studies in Zimbabwe suggest that people attribute 'madness' to infectious disease, physical trauma to the head and old age (Patel, 1995).…”

Section: Healing Context In Ugandamentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptualizing Psychosis in Uganda

Teuton¹,

Bentall

Dowrick

2007

Transcult Psychiatry

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A qualitative study, investigating the representations and explanatory models of ;madness' held by indigenous and religious healers, was undertaken in urban Uganda. Case vignettes of individuals with a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder were discussed by the healers in terms of phenomenology, causality, intervention and outcome. Indigenous healers primarily understood ;madness' as spiritual or physiological, whereas religious healers also held psychological models. Healers' understandings of ;madness' are inextricably linked with the historical and sociopolitical context and may be useful to individuals with psychotic experiences, however, it is likely that these models are dynamic and continually changing.

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“…Subsequent influential overviews of African psychiatry have included those by German (1972) and the synthesis of French and English psychiatric and psychological anthropology literature of Corin and Murphy (1979) and Corin and Bibeau (1980). Geographically limited but important reviews included those by Lambo of Nigeria (1956; of South Africa by Swartz (1986-7); of Libya by Kamel et al (1973); Algeria by Al-Issa (1989); and of Ethiopia by Kortmann (1987). There have also been reviews of the African diaspora in the United States by Adebimpe (1984) and in Jamaica by Wedenoja (1983).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychiatry in Africa: Special Problems and Unique Features

Ilechukwu¹

1991

Transcultural Psychiatric Research Review

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Popular, Traditional, and Professional Mental Health Care in Ethiopia

Cited by 14 publications

References 20 publications

Perceived causes of severe mental disturbance and preferred interventions by the Borana semi-nomadic population in southern Ethiopia: a qualitative study

Perceived causes of severe mental disturbance and preferred interventions by the Borana semi-nomadic population in southern Ethiopia: a qualitative study

Conceptualizing Psychosis in Uganda

Psychiatry in Africa: Special Problems and Unique Features

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