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P3: The care of older people with depression in Nigeria: experience in primary care settings.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2024

Akin Ojagbemi
Affiliation:
World Health Organization collaborating centre for research and training in mental health, neuroscience, and substance abuse, Department of psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria Centre for Dementia Studies, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK
Stephanie Daley
Affiliation:
Centre for Dementia Studies, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK
Olufisayo Elugbadebo
Affiliation:
World Health Organization collaborating centre for research and training in mental health, neuroscience, and substance abuse, Department of psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Yvonne Feeney
Affiliation:
Centre for Dementia Studies, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK
Oye Gureje
Affiliation:
World Health Organization collaborating centre for research and training in mental health, neuroscience, and substance abuse, Department of psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
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Abstract

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Background:

There is a large treatment gap for mental health conditions in sub-Saharan Africa where most of affected persons who receive any care do so from non-physician primary health care workers (PHCW). We examined the experience of PHCW who provide care for older people with depression in Nigerian primary health care (PHC) settings.

Methods:

Using in-depth key informant interviews, we explored the views of 15 PHCWs, 11 of whom were community health workers (CHWs) and 4 were community health extension workers (CHEWs), selected from 10 rural and urban PHCs in South-Western Nigeria. Two additional focus group discussions, each comprising eight participants drawn from across different cadres of PHCW (N=16), were also conducted. Thematic analysis was carried out using a three-staged constant comparison technique to refine and categorise the data.

Results:

Four overall themes were identified around PHCWs’ experience of caring for older people with depression who presented to PHCs: depression presentation, treatment options, community outreach, and value of mobile technology. Participants identified depression in older people as being characterized by a range of behavioural, cognitive, sleep and bodily symptoms, which were often triggered by economic challenges and poor social support. Common treatment options used by PHCW included general advice and counselling, as well as vitamins and occasional sedatives. Although community outreach and follow-ups are parts of their expected work schedule, PHCW rarely implement these due to non-availability of transport facilities. Mobile technology was identified as a possible way of overcoming this constraint to providing community based mental healthcare for older people.

Conclusion:

Our findings suggest that mobile technology could be a viable way to expand the quality of service provided to older persons with depression by including community outreach and follow-up.

Type
Posters
Copyright
© International Psychogeriatric Association 2024

Footnotes

Correspondence: World Health Organization collaborating centre for research and training in mental health, neuroscience, and substance abuse, Department of psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria