Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology
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Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol · Feb 1997
The pathways to primary mental health care in high-density suburbs in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The pathways to care for mental illness are diverse and are dependent on sociocultural and economic factors. The objective of this study was to describe the pathways to primary care for patients with common mental disorders in Harare. One hundred and nine consecutive patients with conspicuous psychiatric morbidity identified by general nurses in three primary health care clinics (PHC) and by four traditional medical practitioners were interviewed with the Pathways to Care Schedule. ⋯ Such treatments, and many oral treatments, were non-specific. Dissatisfaction with consultations was most commonly due to lack of symptomatic improvement. The costs of consultation were highest for private GPs, general hospitals and traditional healers; faith-healers, PHCs and hospital psychiatric departments were the cheapest.