Twelve-month mental disorders in South Africa: prevalence, service use and demographic correlates in the population-based South African Stress and Health Study

Abstract

Background-South Africa's history and current social conditions suggest that mental disorders are likely to be a major contributor to disease burden, but there has been no national study using standardized assessment tools.

Mental health, intimate partner violence and HIV

“…In the general population, the 12-month prevalence of any Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV)/Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) mental disorder in a national epidemiological study was 16.5%, with 26.2% of respondents classified as severe cases and an additional 31.1% as moderately severe cases, indicating that mental health problems affect a large portion of the population. [4] The most pervasive mental health consequences of IPV and HIV in the SA context tend to be depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol/substance use disorders. [4][5][6] It is also likely that all three disorders are comorbid in this population, requiring a nuanced treatment plan that integrates management of all through one feasible intervention.…”

“…[4] The most pervasive mental health consequences of IPV and HIV in the SA context tend to be depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol/substance use disorders. [4][5][6] It is also likely that all three disorders are comorbid in this population, requiring a nuanced treatment plan that integrates management of all through one feasible intervention.…”

“…Both conditions are highly prevalent common mental health problems in SA. [4,6] Lastly, there is a bidirectional relationship between HIV and IPV. The latter leads to an increased risk of incident HIV infection among women, [10] and male perpetrators of violence are more likely to be HIV positive, thereby further increasing the possibility of transmission.…”

Korean migrants' experiences and attitudes towards mental illness and mental health services in New Zealand

“…Cho et al (2009) found that in Korea only 6.1% of Korean adults who reported they had one or more psychiatric disorders accessed some form of professional mental health care within a year of being diagnosed. This percentage was found to be relatively lower when compared to other ethnic groups such as South Africans who reported 32.9% (Williams et al, 2008), 35% of Australians (Andrews, Henderson, & Hall, 2001) and 34.1% of Latinos and Asian Americans (Abe- . Korean people's low utilisation rates of mental health care could be explained by cultural factors such as stigma and culturally constructed knowledge of mental illness.…”

Perceptions of mental illness among Muslim general practitioners in South Africa

“…[1] It has also focused on assessing the role of traditional healers and traditional healing in relation to more conventional care. [2] Issues of mental health literacy [3] and explanatory models of mental illness [4] have been addressed.…”