Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology
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Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol · Mar 2019
A survey of traditional and faith healers providing mental health care in three sub-Saharan African countries.
Traditional and faith healers constitute an important group of complementary and alternative mental health service providers (CAPs) in sub-Sahara Africa. Governments in the region commonly express a desire to integrate them into the public health system. The aim of the study was to describe the profile, practices and distribution of traditional and faith healers in three sub-Saharan African countries in great need for major improvements in their mental health systems namely Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria. ⋯ CAPs are an important group of providers of mental health care in sub-Saharan Africa, but attempts to integrate them into the public health system must address the common use of harmful treatment practices.