ABSTRACT
Background: Ghana as a country has witnessed different mental health regimes reflecting
prevailing global trend, from incarceration in the colonial era through to NRCD decree of
1972 and recently mental health Act 846 of 20 1 2.Critical to the Mental Health Act are the
provisions on mental health authority, mental health board, mental health fund, mental
health tribunal, regional and district committees and especially increasing access to mental
health services in communities. The study sought to explore challenges in implementing
the Mental Health Act 846 of 2012's provision of increasing access to mental health
services in communities such as Bawku West District in the Upper East Region of Ghana;
Methods: The study was descriptive qualitative and it involved 32 in-depth interviews of
stakeholders in mental health service in the Bawku West District who were purposively
sampled. The interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and coded into
themes using a matrix before NVIVO version 10 software to facilitate further analysis.
Framework on health seeking behaviour was used to analyse the findings of the study.
Findings: There was a general low understanding of Mental Health Act 846 of 2012; the
activities of traditional healers, stigmatization, family support, poverty, medication, mental
health education, nonoperationalisaton of mental health Act were the challenges identified
in increasing access to mental health services in the communities in the Bawku West
District. Conclusion: The study identified key stakeholders as health professionals,
assembly members, patient relatives, traditional healers, volunteers, representatives of
media and government departments and agencies. The individual Isocial factor identified
to be influencing access mental health service are activities of local healers, family support
stigmatization, poverty and mental health literacy. Institutional/system factors on the other
hand include, nonoperationalisaton of mental health Act, human resource, medication,
~portat!on. !un~!m! of mental health service and mental health literacy. Improvement
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of human resource. stakeholder engagement. dialogue between media and health sector,
decentralization of mental health institutions, NGO collaboration and passing of
Legislative Instrument for the mental health Act were the recommendations for the study.
Conclusion: The study identified key stakeholders as health professionals, assembly
members. patient relatives, traditional healers, volunteers, representatives of media and
government departments and agencies. The individual Isocial factor identified to be
influencing access mental health service are activities of local healers, family support
stigmatization. poverty and mental health literacy. Institutional/system factors on the other
hand include, nonoperationalisaton of mental health Act, human resource, medication,
transportation, funding of mental health service and mental health literacy. Improvement
of human resource. stakeholder engagement, dialogue between media and health sector,
decentralization of mental health institutions, NOO collaboration and passing of
Legislative Instrument for the mental health Act were the recommendations for the study.
SSA, R (2021). CHALLENGES IN INCRI:ASING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEAL m SERVICES IN COMMIINITJES IN BAWKU WEST DISTRICT. Afribary.com: Retrieved April 14, 2021, from https://afribary.com/works/challenges-in-incri-asing-access-to-mental-heal-m-services-in-commiinitjes-in-bawku-west-district
Research, SSA. "CHALLENGES IN INCRI:ASING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEAL m SERVICES IN COMMIINITJES IN BAWKU WEST DISTRICT" Afribary.com. Afribary.com, 01 Apr. 2021, https://afribary.com/works/challenges-in-incri-asing-access-to-mental-heal-m-services-in-commiinitjes-in-bawku-west-district . Accessed 14 Apr. 2021.
Research, SSA. "CHALLENGES IN INCRI:ASING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEAL m SERVICES IN COMMIINITJES IN BAWKU WEST DISTRICT". Afribary.com, Afribary.com, 01 Apr. 2021. Web. 14 Apr. 2021. < https://afribary.com/works/challenges-in-incri-asing-access-to-mental-heal-m-services-in-commiinitjes-in-bawku-west-district >.
Research, SSA. "CHALLENGES IN INCRI:ASING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEAL m SERVICES IN COMMIINITJES IN BAWKU WEST DISTRICT" Afribary.com (2021). Accessed April 14, 2021. https://afribary.com/works/challenges-in-incri-asing-access-to-mental-heal-m-services-in-commiinitjes-in-bawku-west-district