[ad_1]
In Nigeria, mental illness is strongly stigmatized and mental health care is not widely available. Health resources, facilities and personnel are scarce and disorders may not be well understood at the primary health care level.
It has been estimated that 80% of people with severe mental health needs in Nigeria cannot access care. With fewer than 300 psychiatrists in the city for a population of over 200 million, the care of the mentally ill is generally left to family members.
This situation could worsen with the emigration of Nigerian health professionals.
Untreated mental illness can have serious consequences for homelessness, poverty, employment and security. They can affect children’s chances of success in school and lead to family and community disruptions. Mental problems also add to the burden on the health, police, education, criminal justice and social service systems.
The COVID-19 pandemic is known to have put pressure on the mental health of people around the world, due to uncertainty and losses of all kinds. Nigeria is no exception. Uncertainty decreases the ability of people to prepare for the future and thus contributes to anxiety, stress, confusion, anger and addiction.
We conducted a survey to assess how well people were doing in seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa under COVID-19 containment as of March 2020. Nigeria was one of those countries; the others were Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. We researched the prevalence of mental health symptoms and negative emotional reactions.
Although infections and deaths from COVID-19 are lower in Nigeria than in some countries, the prevalence of mental health symptoms in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa suggests the population may be vulnerable to emotional distress. Better care should be available.
Impact of COVID-19 on mental health in Nigeria
We conducted a survey of 2,032 adults using WhatsApp, Facebook and email between April and May 2020, a time when many African countries were in lockdown. Most African countries, including Nigeria, have responded to the pandemic with tough nationwide lockdowns that have disrupted the daily lives of the public and squeezed savings. Only some groups received financial support from their government.
Our survey included adult respondents. The majority (556, or 27%) were from Nigeria. Of these, 38% were aged 18 to 28, 54% were men and more than half were married (55%). Most (94%) had at least a bachelor’s degree and 60% were employed at the time.
We asked participants to report whether they experienced anxiety, worry, anger, boredom, or frustration while in confinement.
Almost all Nigerians reported mental health symptoms (500 or 89.9%). About half of Nigerians reported feeling anxious (44.9%) or worried (47.1%). Almost a third said they were frustrated (31.7%). A sixth was angry (18.5%) and almost two-thirds (59.2%) said they were bored during confinement.
Before the lockdown, the Nigerian government said three in 10 Nigerians suffered from some form of mental disorder. Our results indicate that COVID-19 could add to the mental health burden of the country.
We also found that Nigerian men over the age of 28 and those who were married or unemployed were more likely to report mental and emotional health symptoms. In a country where unemployment rates are already high, the impact of massive job losses during the pandemic cannot be underestimated.
Our data revealed that 16.6% of Nigerian respondents lived alone. Participants living with more than six people (28.2%) in the household were more likely to report feeling anxious, angry and frustrated. Participants with their own families appear to be more likely to be emotionally charged during the lockdown.
Implications
Our results challenge the idea that community life is a protection against mental health problems. It also goes against World Health Organization guidelines encouraging individuals to stay with friends and family to reduce isolation during the lockdown.
Access to and use of orthodox mental health services is low and social opportunities are also strained due to growing insecurity. This indicates additional pressure on sanity across the board.
Our research also showed that people who perceive or perceive themselves, or their family members, were less likely to be infected or die from COVID-19, reported lower rates of worry about the virus. virus. Therefore, an emotional coping strategy may be to be less concerned about the impact of COVID-19. However, this may result in less action to prevent the spread of infection.
The path to follow
The Nigerian government must be convinced of the importance of adequate mental health care. It must provide efficient treatment as well as adequate facilities and resources. Appropriate pay and conditions of service are necessary to stop the “brain drain” of staff.
Mental health must be an integral part of public health care at all levels.
Mass media can be deployed to share the experiences of survivors of mental health patients. Education campaigns are needed to help the public understand mental illnesses and the benefits of seeking orthodox care.
Research on the effects of the pandemic highlights opportunities for health authorities to discuss and address these challenges.
Levi Osuagwu is affiliated with the Translational Health Research Institute (THRI), School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW 2560 Australia
Kingsley Emwinyore Agho is affiliated with the School of Health Sciences and Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University
Richard Oloruntoba does not work, consult, own stock or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has not disclosed any relevant affiliation beyond his academic appointment.
By Levi Osuagwu, Research Fellow, Western Sydney University And
Kingsley Emwinyore Agho, Associate Professor, Western Sydney University and
Richard Oloruntoba, Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management and Head of Supply Chain Management, Curtin University
Source link
