Child Mental Health Services in Nigeria
Will guardians use psychiatric services for children in Nigeria if they were available and accessible? What might sway their decision? These questions lingered for Ezer and Professor Olayinka Omigbodun after Ezer’s return from the University of Ibadan in 2016. So with the support of the NIMH, Professor Omigbodun and her extraordinary team interviewed 442 guardians of children 5-19yo who lived within 10km from a child psychiatric outpatient clinic.
We found that guardians were willing to use clinic services, but for select child behaviors that were deemed socially atypical or disruptive. Their decisions were also swayed by their beliefs about the causes of mental illness and the perceived effectiveness of treatment approaches (biomedical or local). In other words, guardians were pragmatic and considered any means to address their children’s worrisome behavior.
Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (1R15 MH117631-01) & the Center for African Studies, Howard University, AFEE Program
University College Hospital
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