This article describes the author's experiences growing up in a family of traditional healers, an account of early guidance by her grandmother, a severe illness that influenced her to become a healer and the values that are central to her own work as a traditional healer who specialises in treatment of mental health problems. The impact of colonisation on traditional healing practices in Africa is highlighted.
{"title":"Traditional healing in Kisii County, Kenya: a personal narrative.","authors":"Lydia Matoke","doi":"10.1192/bji.2023.15","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bji.2023.15","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This article describes the author's experiences growing up in a family of traditional healers, an account of early guidance by her grandmother, a severe illness that influenced her to become a healer and the values that are central to her own work as a traditional healer who specialises in treatment of mental health problems. The impact of colonisation on traditional healing practices in Africa is highlighted.</p>","PeriodicalId":36441,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych International","volume":"1 1","pages":"89-91"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10659845/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46358793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sebastian Rosenberg, Luis Salvador Carulla, Alan Rosen
Australia was one of the first countries to develop a national mental health strategy. This article reviews the progress of reform, outlining some strengths, weaknesses and prospective challenges.
{"title":"Mental health reform in Australia - unfinished business.","authors":"Sebastian Rosenberg, Luis Salvador Carulla, Alan Rosen","doi":"10.1192/bji.2023.19","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bji.2023.19","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Australia was one of the first countries to develop a national mental health strategy. This article reviews the progress of reform, outlining some strengths, weaknesses and prospective challenges.</p>","PeriodicalId":36441,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych International","volume":" ","pages":"99-101"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10659841/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48904600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Demoubly Kokota, Robert C Stewart, Chiwoza Bandawe, Genesis Chorwe-Sungani, Olive Liwimbi, Charles Masulani Mwale, Kazione Kulisewa, Michael Udedi, Saulos Gondwe, Anthony Sefasi, Richard Banda, Thandiwe Mkandawire, Stephen M Lawrie
People with psychosis in Malawi have very limited access to timely assessment and evidence-based care, leading to a long duration of untreated psychosis and persistent disability. Most people with psychosis in the country consult traditional or religious healers. Stigmatising attitudes are common and services have limited capacity, particularly in rural areas. This paper, focusing on pathways to care for psychosis in Malawi, is based on the Wellcome Trust Psychosis Flagship Report on the Landscape of Mental Health Services for Psychosis in Malawi. Its purpose is to inform Psychosis Recovery Orientation in Malawi by Improving Services and Engagement (PROMISE), a longitudinal study that aims to build on existing services to develop sustainable psychosis detection systems and management pathways to promote recovery.
{"title":"Pathways to care for psychosis in Malawi.","authors":"Demoubly Kokota, Robert C Stewart, Chiwoza Bandawe, Genesis Chorwe-Sungani, Olive Liwimbi, Charles Masulani Mwale, Kazione Kulisewa, Michael Udedi, Saulos Gondwe, Anthony Sefasi, Richard Banda, Thandiwe Mkandawire, Stephen M Lawrie","doi":"10.1192/bji.2023.18","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bji.2023.18","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>People with psychosis in Malawi have very limited access to timely assessment and evidence-based care, leading to a long duration of untreated psychosis and persistent disability. Most people with psychosis in the country consult traditional or religious healers. Stigmatising attitudes are common and services have limited capacity, particularly in rural areas. This paper, focusing on pathways to care for psychosis in Malawi, is based on the Wellcome Trust Psychosis Flagship Report on the Landscape of Mental Health Services for Psychosis in Malawi. Its purpose is to inform Psychosis Recovery Orientation in Malawi by Improving Services and Engagement (PROMISE), a longitudinal study that aims to build on existing services to develop sustainable psychosis detection systems and management pathways to promote recovery.</p>","PeriodicalId":36441,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych International","volume":" ","pages":"84-89"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10659844/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47785523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A world of traditional healing in the Global South.","authors":"David Skuse","doi":"10.1192/bji.2023.30","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bji.2023.30","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":36441,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych International","volume":"20 4","pages":"77-78"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10659831/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138465441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Norway has, according to the World Health Organization, more psychiatrists engaged in public health services per head of population than any other country, and the proportionate numbers of psychologists and others engaged in mental healthcare are also among the world's highest. Approximately 10% of Norway's gross domestic product is spent on health, expenditure per capita that is the fourth highest internationally. We discuss how this wealth of expertise translates into the delivery of services to the public.
{"title":"Mental health services in Norway, 2023.","authors":"Solveig Klæbo Reitan, Lars Lien","doi":"10.1192/bji.2023.25","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bji.2023.25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Norway has, according to the World Health Organization, more psychiatrists engaged in public health services per head of population than any other country, and the proportionate numbers of psychologists and others engaged in mental healthcare are also among the world's highest. Approximately 10% of Norway's gross domestic product is spent on health, expenditure per capita that is the fourth highest internationally. We discuss how this wealth of expertise translates into the delivery of services to the public.</p>","PeriodicalId":36441,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych International","volume":" ","pages":"95-99"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10659842/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48188035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Stepping down after a decade of service as editor of this journal, this brief testimonial recognises the pivotal contributions made by Professor David Skuse and highlights his stellar career achievements as an academic.
{"title":"Professor David Skuse: a gentleman and a scholar.","authors":"Gin S Malhi","doi":"10.1192/bji.2023.31","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1192/bji.2023.31","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Stepping down after a decade of service as editor of this journal, this brief testimonial recognises the pivotal contributions made by Professor David Skuse and highlights his stellar career achievements as an academic.</p>","PeriodicalId":36441,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych International","volume":"20 4","pages":"78-79"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10659843/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138463174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Despite the worldwide burden of mental illness and recent interest in global approaches to address this, progress on increasing awareness, lessening stigma, reducing the treatment gap, and improving research and training in mental health has been slow. In 2018, the North East England South Asia Mental health Alliance (NEESAMA) was developed as a collaboration between high-income (global north) and low- to middle-income (global south) countries to address this slow progress. This paper outlines how the joint priority areas for research, training and service delivery were identified across the life course (child and adolescent, adults and older people) between partner organisations spanning Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the UK. It describes the progress to date and proposes a way forward for similar alliances to be forged.
{"title":"North East England South Asia Mental health Alliance (NEESAMA): an exemplar of global north and global south collaboration to improve research, training and service delivery in mental healthcare.","authors":"Meetali Devgun, Caitlin Kittridge, Shekhar Seshadri, Jacqueline Rodgers, Aditya Narain Sharma","doi":"10.1192/bji.2023.22","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bji.2023.22","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite the worldwide burden of mental illness and recent interest in global approaches to address this, progress on increasing awareness, lessening stigma, reducing the treatment gap, and improving research and training in mental health has been slow. In 2018, the North East England South Asia Mental health Alliance (NEESAMA) was developed as a collaboration between high-income (global north) and low- to middle-income (global south) countries to address this slow progress. This paper outlines how the joint priority areas for research, training and service delivery were identified across the life course (child and adolescent, adults and older people) between partner organisations spanning Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the UK. It describes the progress to date and proposes a way forward for similar alliances to be forged.</p>","PeriodicalId":36441,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych International","volume":" ","pages":"92-95"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10659846/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47019218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A landmark South African Mental Health Conference took place in April 2023, marking the first national collaborative conference between government and mental health professionals. The theme was Join the Movement, and a ‘whole of society’ approach was emphasised, imploring various sectors to collaborate in relieving the country's burden of mental illness. Challenges in mental health were raised and possible solutions presented. This article discusses the conference, aspects of psychiatric care in South Africa, South Africa's health system issues and the importance of moving forward measurably.
{"title":"Is mental health in South Africa moving forward?","authors":"Tejil Morar, Jozef Erasmus Breedt, Nokuthula Mdaka, Kagisho Maaroganye, Lesley Robertson","doi":"10.1192/bji.2023.32","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1192/bji.2023.32","url":null,"abstract":"A landmark South African Mental Health Conference took place in April 2023, marking the first national collaborative conference between government and mental health professionals. The theme was Join the Movement, and a ‘whole of society’ approach was emphasised, imploring various sectors to collaborate in relieving the country's burden of mental illness. Challenges in mental health were raised and possible solutions presented. This article discusses the conference, aspects of psychiatric care in South Africa, South Africa's health system issues and the importance of moving forward measurably.","PeriodicalId":36441,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych International","volume":"126 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135351155","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A British general adult psychiatrist born and trained in the UK, who also considers himself Pakistani, had the opportunity to spend 2 weeks running a psychiatric clinic in a remote hospital in the Punjab province of Pakistan. In this article he offers some reflections on the unexpected culture shock he felt, on the hospital system, the patients he treated and their resilience in such a poor country.
{"title":"A brief note from Pakistan: reflections from a British psychiatrist","authors":"Musa Basseer Sami","doi":"10.1192/bji.2023.28","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1192/bji.2023.28","url":null,"abstract":"A British general adult psychiatrist born and trained in the UK, who also considers himself Pakistani, had the opportunity to spend 2 weeks running a psychiatric clinic in a remote hospital in the Punjab province of Pakistan. In this article he offers some reflections on the unexpected culture shock he felt, on the hospital system, the patients he treated and their resilience in such a poor country.","PeriodicalId":36441,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych International","volume":"40 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135243813","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}