Survey of early predictive signs of poor mental health and socio-cultural beliefs about mental illness in Enugu state, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: The rising prevalence of mental disorder and the enormous emotional, financial, socio-economic and developmental burden is a source of concern and challenge to the global community. This study assessed the prevalence of major warning signs of poor mental health and socio-cultural beliefs...

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Main Authors: O C Ekwueme, F Chukwueneke, A C Ekwueme, A C Ndu, C A Idoko, E A Nwobi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2018-01-01
Series:Nigerian Journal of Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.njmonline.org/article.asp?issn=1115-2613;year=2018;volume=27;issue=1;spage=35;epage=45;aulast=Ekwueme;type=0
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spelling doaj-f6a0055a7e264f0c945f39d17297192e2021-08-09T10:15:38ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsNigerian Journal of Medicine1115-26132018-01-01271354510.4103/1115-2613.278228Survey of early predictive signs of poor mental health and socio-cultural beliefs about mental illness in Enugu state, NigeriaO C EkwuemeF ChukwuenekeA C EkwuemeA C NduC A IdokoE A NwobiBACKGROUND: The rising prevalence of mental disorder and the enormous emotional, financial, socio-economic and developmental burden is a source of concern and challenge to the global community. This study assessed the prevalence of major warning signs of poor mental health and socio-cultural beliefs about the mental illness among the urban and rural dwellers in Enugu State, Nigeria. METHODS: This was a descriptive, cross sectional study, using multistage sampling to recruit a total of 724 respondents, 371 from urban and 353 from rural Local Government Areas. A researcher constructed and pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was the instrument of data collection used. William C. Menninger's questions for assessing warning signs of poor mental health was modified and adapted. Data was analysed using Epi-info version 3.5.3. Chi-square test and Student T-test statistics were used. Level of significant was set at p ≤0.05. RESULTS: Socio-cultural factors mostly believed to cause mental illness were evil spirits (51.8% Urban: 34.28% rural, X2 = 22.51, p= 0.000) and native charm (47.7% urban: 43.1% rural; X2 = 1.58, p = 0.209). Major alternative treatments recommended for the mentally ill were prayer/deliverance (59.8% urban: 54.7% rural, p=0.160) and herbal drugs/ traditional healers (31.0% urban: 35.7% rural, p=0.180). Mean scores of the signs of poor mental health among the urban and rural dwellers were 80.82±41.66 and 119.55±37.06 (t=13.19, p= 0.000); and prevalence of early warning signals of poor mental health were 21.7% for the urban and 33.87% for the rural respondents. CONCLUSION: Traditional beliefs about mental illness are still prevalent in the 21st century Nigeria. The rural dwellers have more warning signs of poor mental health than their urban counterparts. In-depth psychiatric evaluation, mental health education and counselling are advocated.http://www.njmonline.org/article.asp?issn=1115-2613;year=2018;volume=27;issue=1;spage=35;epage=45;aulast=Ekwueme;type=0beliefsmental healthmental illnessruralsignsurban
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author O C Ekwueme
F Chukwueneke
A C Ekwueme
A C Ndu
C A Idoko
E A Nwobi
spellingShingle O C Ekwueme
F Chukwueneke
A C Ekwueme
A C Ndu
C A Idoko
E A Nwobi
Survey of early predictive signs of poor mental health and socio-cultural beliefs about mental illness in Enugu state, Nigeria
Nigerian Journal of Medicine
beliefs
mental health
mental illness
rural
signs
urban
author_facet O C Ekwueme
F Chukwueneke
A C Ekwueme
A C Ndu
C A Idoko
E A Nwobi
author_sort O C Ekwueme
title Survey of early predictive signs of poor mental health and socio-cultural beliefs about mental illness in Enugu state, Nigeria
title_short Survey of early predictive signs of poor mental health and socio-cultural beliefs about mental illness in Enugu state, Nigeria
title_full Survey of early predictive signs of poor mental health and socio-cultural beliefs about mental illness in Enugu state, Nigeria
title_fullStr Survey of early predictive signs of poor mental health and socio-cultural beliefs about mental illness in Enugu state, Nigeria
title_full_unstemmed Survey of early predictive signs of poor mental health and socio-cultural beliefs about mental illness in Enugu state, Nigeria
title_sort survey of early predictive signs of poor mental health and socio-cultural beliefs about mental illness in enugu state, nigeria
publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
series Nigerian Journal of Medicine
issn 1115-2613
publishDate 2018-01-01
description BACKGROUND: The rising prevalence of mental disorder and the enormous emotional, financial, socio-economic and developmental burden is a source of concern and challenge to the global community. This study assessed the prevalence of major warning signs of poor mental health and socio-cultural beliefs about the mental illness among the urban and rural dwellers in Enugu State, Nigeria. METHODS: This was a descriptive, cross sectional study, using multistage sampling to recruit a total of 724 respondents, 371 from urban and 353 from rural Local Government Areas. A researcher constructed and pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was the instrument of data collection used. William C. Menninger's questions for assessing warning signs of poor mental health was modified and adapted. Data was analysed using Epi-info version 3.5.3. Chi-square test and Student T-test statistics were used. Level of significant was set at p ≤0.05. RESULTS: Socio-cultural factors mostly believed to cause mental illness were evil spirits (51.8% Urban: 34.28% rural, X2 = 22.51, p= 0.000) and native charm (47.7% urban: 43.1% rural; X2 = 1.58, p = 0.209). Major alternative treatments recommended for the mentally ill were prayer/deliverance (59.8% urban: 54.7% rural, p=0.160) and herbal drugs/ traditional healers (31.0% urban: 35.7% rural, p=0.180). Mean scores of the signs of poor mental health among the urban and rural dwellers were 80.82±41.66 and 119.55±37.06 (t=13.19, p= 0.000); and prevalence of early warning signals of poor mental health were 21.7% for the urban and 33.87% for the rural respondents. CONCLUSION: Traditional beliefs about mental illness are still prevalent in the 21st century Nigeria. The rural dwellers have more warning signs of poor mental health than their urban counterparts. In-depth psychiatric evaluation, mental health education and counselling are advocated.
topic beliefs
mental health
mental illness
rural
signs
urban
url http://www.njmonline.org/article.asp?issn=1115-2613;year=2018;volume=27;issue=1;spage=35;epage=45;aulast=Ekwueme;type=0
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