PSYCHIATRIC GENETICS RESEARCH IN AFRICA – A CLINICIAN'S PERSPECTIVE

Psychiatric genetics may improve understanding of etiology, predicting susceptibility, and tailoring treatments for patients in African psychiatric clinics. However, its development and application in Africa and other low-and-middle-income settings presents unique challenges and opportunities. This presentation will review both the practice and promise of genetic research from a psychiatrist's perspective, sharing with attendees cultural attitudes for psychiatric research, barriers faced when conducting research and potential for local impact.

In African clinics, patients often seek explanations for their mental illness and their children's risk for acquiring the illnesses. However, a lack of concrete answers leaves them dissatisfied, leading many to rely on cultural explanations. A better understanding of psychiatric genetics in Africa could provide these answers and help retain patients in care. Also explaining complex genetic terms to patients is often challenging for clinicians since patients have varying education and health literacy levels. Simplifying and translating these terms is crucial.

There is still limited research on the genetic risks for mental disorders in Africa. < 5% of psychiatric genetic samples worldwide are from people of African ancestry despite evidence of the high level of genetic diversity in comparison to other populations. Importantly, African clinicians have limited training in use of psychiatric genetics in the clinic. For example, only five out of eighty Ugandan psychiatrists have received training in psychiatric genetics through the Global Initiative for Neuropsychiatric Genetics Education and Research (GINGER). In addition, implementing genetic insights requires infrastructure, but few facilities offer services like genetic testing, and costs are prohibitive.

The ever-expanding field of psychiatric genetics research must include and cater to African clinicians. Involving clinicians in psychiatric genetic research is crucial as they play an important role integrating psychiatric genetics research into practice. It is imperative that stakeholders from participating African countries, including clinicians not directly involved in genetics research, are enlightened on the benefits of genetics research to patient care. These clinicians can further advocate for incorporating genetic research into national health policies to benefit the broader population.