Continued from last week
By Suleiman Tajudeen
…promoting recovery and wellbeing.
Strategies for promoting mental health in PHC
The strategies for promoting mental health in PHC include:
Education: PHC providers should educate patients about mental health conditions, their symptoms, and treatment options.
Screening: PHC providers should screen patients for mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety.
Coordination: PHC providers should coordinate mental health care services with other health care providers, such as specialists and hospitals.
Health services: PHC providers should provide community-based mental health services, such as counseling and support groups.
Collaboration: PHC providers should collaborate with community organizations to provide mental health care services.
Technology: PHC providers should use technology, such as telemedicine and mobile health applications, to provide mental health care services.
Continuous quality improvement: PHC providers should continuously evaluate and improve mental health care services to ensure that they are effective and responsive to patient needs.
Roles of community health workers in mental health care
Community health workers (CHWs) play a critical role in mental health care in PHC settings. CHWs:
Provides mental health education: CHWs can educate patients about mental health conditions, their symptoms, and treatment options.
Conducts mental health screening: CHWs can screen patients for mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety.
Provides mental health care coordination: CHWs can coordinate mental health care services with other health care providers, such as specialists like mental health workers.
Provides community-based mental health services: CHWs can provide community-based mental health services, such as counseling and support groups.
Support patient self-management: CHWs can support patients in self-managing their mental health conditions.
Facilitates community engagement: CHWs can facilitate community engagement and participation in mental health care.
Advocates for patient needs: CHWs can advocate for patient needs and ensure that their voices are heard.
Challenges to Mental Health Care in PHC in Nigeria
Despite the importance of mental health care in PHC, there are several challenges to providing mental health care services in PHC settings in Nigeria. Here are some key challenges:
Limited resources: PHC settings in Nigeria often have limited resources, including funding, staff, and equipment, which can make it difficult to provide mental health care services.
Lack of trained providers: Many PHC providers in Nigeria lack the training and expertise to provide mental health care services, which can make it difficult to provide high-quality care.
Stigma and discrimination: Mental health conditions are often stigmatized and discriminated against in Nigeria, which can make it difficult for patients to seek care and for PHC providers to provide care.
Cultural and traditional beliefs: Cultural and traditional beliefs about mental health conditions can create barriers to care-seeking and care-providing in PHC settings in Nigeria.
Inadequate mental health policies and laws: Nigeria’s mental health policies and laws are inadequate, which can create challenges for PHC providers in providing mental health care services.
Limited access to specialized care: PHC settings in Nigeria often have limited access to specialized mental health care services, such as psychiatry and psychology, which can make it difficult to provide comprehensive care.
Brain drain and workforce shortages: Nigeria is experiencing a brain drain and workforce shortages in the mental health sector, which can make it difficult to provide mental health care services in PHC settings.
Lack of mental health care infrastructure: Many PHC settings in Nigeria lack the infrastructure to provide mental health care services, such as dedicated mental health clinics and facilities.
Inadequate supply of mental health medications: There is often an inadequate supply of mental health medications in PHC settings in Nigeria, which can make it difficult to provide treatment.
Limited use of technology: PHC settings in Nigeria often have limited access to technology, such as telemedicine and mobile health applications, which can make it difficult to provide mental health care services.
Poor coordination and referral systems: PHC settings in Nigeria often have poor coordination and referral systems, which can make it difficult to provide comprehensive mental health care services.
Lack of community engagement and participation: PHC settings in Nigeria often lack community engagement and participation in mental health care, which can make it difficult to provide culturally sensitive and effective care.
Addressing these challenges will require a multi-faceted approach that involves government, health care providers, communities, and other stakeholders in general.
Management of Mental Health in PHC
Mental health management in PHC settings involves a range of strategies and interventions aimed at promoting mental health, preventing mental illness, and providing treatment and care for individuals with mental health conditions. Major mental health management are as follows:
Early detection and intervention: PHC providers should be trained to detect early signs of mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, and provide early intervention and treatment.
Mental health education and awareness: PHC providers should educate patients and communities about mental health conditions, their symptoms, and treatment options to promote awareness and reduce stigma.
Counseling and psychotherapy: PHC providers should provide counseling and psychotherapy services to individuals with mental health conditions, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT).
Medication management: PHC providers should be trained to prescribe and manage medications for mental health conditions, such as antidepressants and antipsychotics with the supervision of trained psychiatrists.
Community-based care: PHC providers should provide community-based care, such as home visits and community outreach programs, to individuals with mental health conditions.
Collaboration with specialists: PHC providers should collaborate with mental health specialists, such as psychiatrists and psychologists, to provide comprehensive care and treatment.
Continuous monitoring and evaluation: PHC providers should continuously monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of mental health interventions and make adjustments as needed.
Assessment and diagnosis: PHC providers should be trained to assess and diagnose mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety.
Treatment planning: PHC providers should develop treatment plans that take into account the individual’s needs and circumstances.
Follow-up and monitoring: PHC providers should follow up with individuals with mental health conditions and monitor their progress to ensure that they receive the support and care they need in order to avoid any form of relapse.
Conclusion
Mental health is an essential aspect of overall health and wellbeing, and PHC plays a critical role in promoting mental health and providing mental health care services. By understanding the importance of mental health in PHC, the key principles of mental health care in PHC, and the strategies for promoting mental health in PHC, PHC providers can provide high-quality mental health care services to patients. However, despite the importance of mental health care in PHC, there are several challenges to providing mental health care services in PHC settings, including limited resources, stigma, and a lack of trained providers that needs urgent attention by responsible stakeholders in Nigeria.
References
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (2020). Mental Illness. Retrieved from (link unavailable)
World Health Organization (WHO) (2019). Mental Health. Retrieved from (link unavailable)
Dr Suleiman Tajudeen is CEO and Director of clinical psychology, Clear Mind Psychological Consult, Km 15, Badagry Expressway, Ojo, Lagos.
+234 803 402 4457
