Integrating mental health into primary care: evaluation of the Health Action for Psychiatric Problems In Nigeria including Epilepsy and SubstanceS (HAPPINESS) pilot project

The Health Action for Psychiatric Problems In Nigeria including Epilepsy and SubstanceS (HAPPINESS) project trains non-specialist and primary health care workers in Imo State, Nigeria. This project adapted the World Health Organization's Mental Health Gap Action Programme-Intervention Guide (mh...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMC health services research 2022-03, Vol.22 (1), p.333-333, Article 333
Main Authors: Chu, Casey, Roxas, Nichole, Aguocha, Chinyere M, Nwefoh, Emeka, Wang, Katie, Dike, Charles, Iheanacho, Theddeus
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Epilepsy - psychology
Epilepsy - therapy
Feasibility
Humans
Implementation
Mental Health
mhGAP
Nigeria
Nigeria - epidemiology
Pilot
Pilot Projects
Primary health care
Primary Health Care - organization & administration
Psychological aspects
Services
Stigma
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Summary:The Health Action for Psychiatric Problems In Nigeria including Epilepsy and SubstanceS (HAPPINESS) project trains non-specialist and primary health care workers in Imo State, Nigeria. This project adapted the World Health Organization's Mental Health Gap Action Programme-Intervention Guide (mhGAP-IG), emphasizing stigma reduction among trainees. This convergent mixed-methods proof-of-concept study evaluates the HAPPINESS pilot project mhGAP-IG training's impact on mental illness stigma among trainees and barriers, facilitators, and opportunities to consider for project improvement. Trainees (n = 13) completed a 43-item questionnaire before and after their 5-day training to assess perceptions of mental disorders and attitudes towards people with mental illness. These responses were analyzed using paired-sample t-tests for four subscales of the questionnaire: acceptance of socializing with people with mental illness, normalizing activities and relationships with people with mental illness, supernatural causation of mental illness, and endorsement of a biopsychosocial approach to mental illness. Semi-structured key informant interviews (n = 11) with trainees, trainers, and local health officials who participated in or supported the HAPPINESS project were thematically analyzed to understand their experiences and perspectives of the project's barriers, facilitators, and opportunities. Trainees showed significant improvements on socializing, normalizing, and supernatural causation subscales of the stigma questionnaire (p 
ISSN:1472-6963
1472-6963
DOI:10.1186/s12913-022-07703-1