Preferred Treatment for Mental Illness Among Southwestern Nigerians

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the southwestern Nigerian public's preferences for the treatment of mental illness in that region. METHODS: Adults (N=2,078) selected from three Nigerian communities completed questionnaires on sociodemographic details and on their perceptions regarding causes of, stereotypes of, and treatment options for mental illness. RESULTS: The preferred treatment option was spiritual healers, endorsed by 41% of respondents. Thirty percent endorsed traditional healers, and 29% endorsed hospitals and Western medicine. Correlates of preference for spiritual and traditional healers included female gender, never having provided care for persons with mental illness, endorsement of supernatural causation of mental illness, and lower education. CONCLUSIONS: The southwestern Nigerian public preferred alternatives to Western medicine for the treatment of mental illness. Efforts to improve professional mental health services in Nigeria must consider and address beliefs and preferences of the public in regard to mental health treatment.

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