Kenya's mental health law

Ndetei, David M.; Muthike, Job; Nandoya, Erick

doi:10.1192/s2056474000002117

Cited by 9 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Through the national development agenda Vision 2030, Kenya aims to transform itself into a globally competitive, prosperous and industrialising middle-income country [ 13 ]. Furthermore, the Kenyan 2010 constitution has proclaimed a comprehensive, people-driven and rights-based approach to health service provision [ 52 ]. To achieve these goals, good and accessible health care, including mental health care, for all the population is essential.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing mental health literacy of primary health care workers in Kenya: a cross-sectional survey

Marangu

Mansouri

Sands³

et al. 2021

Int J Ment Health Syst

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Aim To assess mental health literacy of health workers in primary health care services in Kenya. Background Mental illness is common in Kenya, yet there are fewer than 500 specialist mental health workers to serve Kenya’s population of over 50 million. The World Health Organization recommends the integration of mental health care into primary health care services to improve access to and equity of this care, especially in low and middle-income countries. An important step to integrating mental health care into primary health care services is to determine mental health literacy levels of the primary health care workforce. Method A cross-sectional survey using Jorm’s Mental Health Literacy Instrument (adapted for the Kenyan context) was administered to 310 primary health care workers in four counties of Kenya. Results Of the 310 questionnaires distributed, 212 (68.3%) were returned. Of the respondents, 13% had a formal mental health qualification, while only 8.7% had received relevant continuing professional development in the five years preceding the survey. Just over one third (35.6%) of primary health care workers could correctly identify depression, with even fewer recognising schizophrenia (15.7%). Conclusions This study provides preliminary information about mental health literacy among primary health care workers in Kenya. The majority of respondents had low mental health literacy as indicated by their inability to identify common mental disorders. While identifying gaps in primary health care workers’ mental health knowledge, these data highlight opportunities for capacity building that can enhance mental health care in Kenya and similar low and middle-income countries.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing mental health literacy of primary health care workers in Kenya: a cross-sectional survey

Marangu

Mansouri

Sands³

et al. 2021

Int J Ment Health Syst

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“…Our study findings have important implications for signaling, detection, counseling, referral, treatment, and public mental health policy regarding emotional and behavioral problems in Kenyan children and adolescents. As recently noted by Ndetei et al [ 47 ], the Kenya Mental Health Bill 2014 has been drafted and is in parliament awaiting enactment into law, hopefully bringing Kenya’s mental health services to a par with international standards. The country has also adopted the World Health Organization’s Global Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2020, who’s objectives are to ensure effective leadership and governance of mental health services, to provide mental and social care services in community-based settings, to implement strategies for the promotion of mental health and the prevention of mental ill-health, and to strengthen information systems and research in mental health.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Children and Adolescents in Central Kenya

Magai

Malik

Koot

2018

Child Psychiatry Hum Dev

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Emotional and behavioral problems (EBP) during childhood and adolescence are a common concern for parents and mental health stakeholders. However, little has been documented about their prevalence in Kenyan children and adolescents. This study aimed to close this gap. The study included Child Behavior Checklist reports from 1022 Kenyan parents on their children (ages 6–18 years) and Youth Self-Reports from 533 adolescents (ages 12–18) living in Kenya’s Central Province. EBP in Kenya are highly prevalent compared to multi-cultural standards for parent reports, with 27 and 17% scoring in the borderline and clinical range, respectively. Based on parent reports, younger children scored higher on EBP than older children, and higher on internalizing problems. Based on self-reports girls scored higher than boys, particularly on internalizing problems. The study provides evidence on elevated parent-reported EBP in Kenyan youths. Mental health providers should focus on interventions that reduce EBP in Kenyan youths.

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“…However, these Kenyan challenges can be understood in a historical perspective. The Mental Health Act of 1989, referred to as the Act, allowed any hospital in Kenya to admit people with any mental illness and therefore placed emphasis on inpatients [10]. The Act offered some protection for inpatients regarding ill-treatment in hospitals, administration of their estates and examination of females.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, it did not address several human rights of the patients, namely; the patients' right to information, consent to treatment, and confidentiality, nor did it address the conditions in mental health facilities, or provide for counseling, psychotherapy and rehabilitation services [11]. The Act had other shortcomings, such as limited promotion of community mental services at the primary care level and a lack of distinction between mental illness and mental disabilities [10]. There have been efforts since 2014 to revise the Act; however, as of December 2019, the Bill has not yet been enacted into law, though the draft has significantly improved over the last five years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The most important of these is the Constitution which was promulgated in 2010 [12]. It provides for comprehensive health services, including mental health, as a human rights entitlement [10]. Kenya is also a signatory to international rights conventions which provides state protection of the human and legal rights of people with mental illness and disabilities, their property, and their treatment [13][14][15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Using the WHO-AIMS to inform development of mental health systems: the case study of Makueni County, Kenya

Mutiso

Musyimi

Gitonga

et al. 2020

BMC Health Serv Res

Self Cite

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Background: In order to develop a context appropriate in mental health system, there is a need to document relevant existing resources and practices with a view of identifying existing gaps, challenges and opportunities at baseline for purposes of future monitoring and evaluation of emerging systems. The World Health Organization Assessments Instrument for Mental Health Systems (WHO-AIMS) was developed as a suitable tool for this purpose. Our overall objective of this study, around which research questions and specific aims were formulated, was to establish a baseline on mental health system as at the time of the study, at Makueni County in Kenya, using the WHO-AIMS. Methods: To achieve our overall objective, answer our research questions and achieve specific aims, we conducted a mixed methods approach in which we did an audit of DHIS records and county official records, and conducted qualitative interviews with the various officers to establish the fidelity of the data according to their views. The records data was processed via the prescribed WHO-Aims 2.2 excel spreadsheet while the qualitative data was analyzed thematically. This was guided by the six domains stipulated in the WHO AIMS. Results: We found that at the time point of the study, there were no operational governance, policy or administrative structures specific to mental health, despite recognition by the County Government of the importance of mental health. The identified interviewees and policy makers were cooperative and participatory in identifying the gaps, barriers and potential solutions to those barriers. The main barriers and gaps were human and financial resources and low prioritization of mental health in comparison to physical conditions. The solutions lay in bridging of the gaps and addressing the barriers. Conclusion: There is a need to address the identified gaps and barriers and follow up on solutions suggested at the time of the study, if a functional mental health system is to be achieved at Makueni County.

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Kenya's mental health law

Cited by 9 publications

References 12 publications

Assessing mental health literacy of primary health care workers in Kenya: a cross-sectional survey

Assessing mental health literacy of primary health care workers in Kenya: a cross-sectional survey

Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Children and Adolescents in Central Kenya

Using the WHO-AIMS to inform development of mental health systems: the case study of Makueni County, Kenya

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