Diagnostic characteristics of inpatients in a Western African psychiatric hospital

Abstract

Little is known about psychiatric patients and psychiatric service delivery in non-Western developing countries. Therefore, this naturalistic pilot study aimed at analysing and describing the patient population treated in the Tanka Tanka Psychiatric Hospital, the mental health inpatient facility of The Gambia. Most patients were male and exhibited a wide age range of over 40 years. There were also indicators that the hospital population consisted of two distinguished groups: a large group of chronically ill patients and a smaller group of psychiatric patients with very acute symptoms. Psychotic/mood disorders and substance dependence/abuse were the most common diagnoses. In many patients problematic cannabis use was prevalent. Such research can contribute to better understand the needs of psychiatric patients, and help to develop continuously improved service delivery and optimise therapeutic options.

Residential and inpatient treatment of substance use disorders in Sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review

“…A general lack of availability of services was attributed to multiple factors, including a paucity of investment on the part of regional and national governments [ 40 , 42 , 43 , 45 ]. This review also found that across countries psychiatric facilities are treating a large volume of patients with SUD, or those with SUD and a cooccurring psychiatric illness [ 18 , 19 , 21 , 23 – 31 ]. Understanding the ability of psychiatric facilities to meet this need, and the appropriateness of these venues for SUD treatment, was a notable gap in the literature.…”

“…One study from Uganda across 10 treatment facilities found that the most commonly used substance was alcohol, followed by cannabis and cocaine [ 20 ]. A study from the Gambia found that cannabis was the most commonly used substance among treatment-seekers, often used in combination with stimulants or tranquilizers [ 21 ].…”

“…In Kenya, three studies from psychiatric facilities documented rates of SUD among the sample populations, reporting rates between 7% and 34.4% [ 22 – 24 ]. In a study from a psychiatric hospital in the Gambia, more than one-third of the sample population (35%) met the diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric or mood disorder in addition to SUD [ 21 ]. Many of the studies included in this review from Nigeria were conducted in a neuropsychiatric facility [ 18 , 19 , 25 , 26 ], and researchers noted that the location of SUD treatment in psychiatric facilities may contribute to low uptake of SUD services [ 26 ].…”