Role of Traditional & Religious Leaders in Stigma Reduction

Abstract

I bring to your attention an issue in mental health that gets scarce attention in the peerreviewed literature: the use of traditional and religious healing in mental health. Funding for mental health services and consequently mental health services research in low-and income countries remains low compared to other health funding. Funding to examine the role of traditional and religious healing in mental health is even smaller. A systematic review of research involving religious and traditional healing in mental health included 8 studies from Sub-Saharan Africa spanning from 1999-2013 [1]. The number of participants in these studies ranged from 59-129. Recently, the National Institute of Mental Health of the United States government funded a study under the direction of Dr. Oye Gureje that examines training and supports for religious and traditional providers who address mental illness and epilepsy [2]. The PAM-D study, a NIMH initiative, examined the integration of mental health treatment options from a combined bio-medical, traditional and faith-healing perspective [3].