Transtornos Mentais e Tratamento

Euro Mental Health 2017- Menâ??s recovery from schizophrenia in northern Nigeria- Bello Utoblo- Leeds Beckett University

Abstract

Bello Utoblo

Schizophreniais a chronic and severe mental health difficulty that affects over twenty-one million people worldwide. In Nigeria, it is predictable that there are more men than women existing  with  schizophrenia. Though,  there  havebeen  studies  on  men  and  healthin Nigeria,  these have focusedon  sexual health  or  strength. In contrast, men’s involvement of schizophrenia, and the role of gender in manipulating their beliefs about retrieval has not been voyaged.

The aim of thisqualitative study was to explore the factors influencing men’s recovery from schizophrenia in northern Nigeria.

Thirty male outpatients aged between 18 and 65 and ten mental health practitioners (psychiatrists and nurses) were purposively sampled and recruited finished Nigerian psychiatric hospital outpatient clinics.  Data were collected using separate interviews, and analysed through Braun and Clarke’s (2006) analytical framework. Results: The findings recommend that participants identified three themes on recovery from mental illness: western medicine, traditional medicine, and family support. Whilst, western medication aided relief of symptoms related with schizophrenia, costs and side effects of these medications hindered their utilisation. The participants’ also highlight the significance of religion to recovery, premised on the confidence that God is a naturopath, therefore the data suggests that many endowed the agency of their recovery to God. Alongside these, the role of family support was vital in easing participants’ links to healthcare. Cross cutting these themes is the notion of gender flexibility. Traditional masculinity expectations of being the head of the household involves  stressful  challenges  that  can  increase  the  threat  of  emerging  schizophrenia. In contrast, the presence   of   gender   elasticity   within   household   members,   where   their contributions changed over time, were seen as manipulating the men’s ability to become involved in  salvage.  In particular, providing for the family wants becomes a shared accountability, where the departure from traditional gender imposes fewer family adversities, thus aiding the men’s willingness to seek help, which rolls over to their retrieval.

1 Introduction

 In provide  the justification for  conducting  this  study. I begin by providing a meaning of schizophrenia and some data about its occurrence. In furthering discussion about the nature of schizophrenia, I highlight the impact of mental health problems on the individual and  the  burden  of  care  among  families  of service users’ with mental  health  difficult. I then introduce the current research gaps in relation to the people who use facilities ‘perceptions and experiences of schizophrenia and the role of gender inside this. In the last part of this chapter, the organisation and structure of the thesis is drew.

Background to this qualitative study

The  Diagnostic  and  Statistical  Manual  of  Mental  Disorders-DSM  5(American  Psychiatric Association,   2013)   and   the International   Classification   of   Illnesses (World   Health Organisation,  2010),the main controllers used  by  health  professionals to  aid diagnosis of schizophrenia,  highlight  schizophrenias  a  severe  mental health  problem, considered by symptoms and changes in the behaviour of the discrete. In one study of 1,080 patients,Baueret al. (2011)suggests that people with schizophrenia can presentation symptoms such as hearing or seeing things that are not there (hallucinations) or have false beliefs (delusions) that are external of  reality  and not  experienced  by  others. Morrison (2014) also linked wandering or roaming the streets and sleeplessness with onset of the disorder.

It is perhaps understandable to focus on the men’s perceptions and experiences of schizophrenia and role of gender within this. Besides,  some  studies  in Africa, such as those carried out by Jewkes and Morrell(2010)and Odimegwu andOkemgbo (2008) have optional that traditional notions of masculinity, has an influence on sexual health risks such as vulnerability to obtaining HIV/AIDS and health programs have been intended to address issues beneficial to these men and their associates. In contrast, there is a notable lack of

6research on understanding of the role of gender and its impact on service users’ insights and involvements of schizophrenia

Aim of the research the aim of this qualitative study was to explore the factors that influence men’s recovery after schizophrenia in northern Nigeria.

Research questions

The two research questions in this study are:

(1)What are perceptions and experiences of developing schizophrenia in Nigeria? 

(2)What factors influence recovery from schizophrenia in Nigeria? Objectives of the research

The specific objectives of this study are:

(1)To explore the perceptions and experiences about the causes of schizophrenia.

(2)To examine the meanings of recovery.

(3)To understand influences on men’s recovery.

Structure of the thesis

In the body of this thesis, I explore involvements of developing schizophrenia and the factors that influence patients’ recovery from the condition in northern Nigeria.  The overall structure of the thesis including the introductory chapter takes the form of nine chapters. In chapter two, a literature review on conceptual issues of genders presented. The first part presents discussions on the meanings of  gender.  The  second  part  of  this  episode  focuses  on concepts  of  masculine  expectations,  which  highlights how gender  is  practised  in  the  family including marriage  and effort.  The third part, discusses men’s changing identity in modern Africa.  This  includes a discussion  on  post-colonialism  in  Nigeria, and  the belongings  of  the changing economic  condition and  introduction  of  gender  polices. In the  last  section of  this chapter, the literature and related discussion focuses on the influence of gender on men’s health. Chapter three presents a literature review and conceptual discussion relating to schizophrenia and its retrieval. The first part presents approaches that have been employed in the diagnosis of  schizophrenia and the load  associated  with  onset  of  the  disorder. 

Conclusion: The influence of gender flexibility established in this study has implications for understanding the origins of schizophrenia and its repossession. This includes the need for gender educational awareness programmes for the  men  and  those  involved  in their  care.  Future study is needed to explore in more factor how the conceptualisation of gender influences on men’s mental health within the Nigerian and broader African context.

Note: This work is partly presented at 3rd International Conference on Mental Health and Human Resilience  on June 21-23, 2017 held in London, UK