Forming a joint dialogue among faith healers, traditional healers and formal health workers in mental health in a Kenyan setting: towards common grounds.

Christine W Musyimi,Erick S Nandoya,David M Ndetei,Victoria N Mutiso

doi:10.1186/s13002-015-0075-6

Christine W Musyimi, Erick S Nandoya + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-015-0075-6

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Abstract

BackgroundQualitative evidence on dialogue formation and collaboration is very scanty in Kenya. This study thus aimed at the formation of dialogue and establishment of collaboration among the informal (faith and traditional healers) and formal health workers (clinicians) in enhancing community–based mental health in rural Kenya.MethodsQualitative approach was used to identify barriers and solutions for dialogue formation by conducting nine Focus Group Discussions each consisting of 8–10 participants. Information on age, gender and role in health care setting as well as practitioners’ (henceforth used to mean informal (faith and traditional healers) and formal health workers) perceptions on dialogue was collected to evaluate dialogue formation. Qualitative and quantitative data analysis was performed using thematic content analysis and Statistical Package Social Sciences (SPSS) software respectively.ResultsWe identified four dominant themes such as; (i) basic understanding about mental illnesses, (ii) interaction and treatment skills of the respondents to mentally ill persons, (iii) referral gaps and mistrust among the practitioners and (iv) dialogue formation among the practitioners. Although participants were conversant with the definition of mental illness and had interacted with a mentally ill person in their routine practice, they had basic information on the causes and types of mental illness. Traditional and faith healers felt demeaned by the clinicians who disregarded their mode of treatment stereotyping them as “dirty”. After various discussions, majority of practitioners showed interest in collaborating with each other and stated that they had joined the dialogue in order interact with people committed to improving the lives of patients.ConclusionDialogue formation between the formal and the informal health workers is crucial in establishing trust and respect between both practitioners and in improving mental health care in Kenya. This approach could be scaled up among all the registered traditional and faith healers in Kenya.

Highlights

Qualitative evidence on dialogue formation and collaboration is very scanty in Kenya
Attribution to witchcraft was pronounced among traditional and faith healers while poor upbringing was mentioned by the clinicians
Basic understanding of the traditional healers, faith healers and clinicians about mental illness, interaction of health care providers with mentally ill persons and identification of referral gaps and mistrust among the practitioners were key aspects which this study delved into in order to establish a basis for dialogue and collaboration among the practitioners in provision of mental health services in the local community context

Summary

Introduction

Qualitative evidence on dialogue formation and collaboration is very scanty in Kenya. This study aimed at the formation of dialogue and establishment of collaboration among the informal (faith and traditional healers) and formal health workers (clinicians) in enhancing community–based mental health in rural Kenya. In rural Kenya, a large number of populations rely on informal health workers who treat disorders similar to those treated in health care facilities [3]. Treatment resource relocation could decrease the treatment gap of mental disorders [1] given the dearth or even complete absence of mental health specialists and the relative surplus of traditional and faith healer at the community level [4]. The challenge has been on how best to bring THPs on board in a mentally complementary manner

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