The development of psychiatry in Indonesia: From colonial to modern times

Abstract

During the colonial period, mental health care policy in the Dutch East Indies was centred on the mental hospital, which provided custodial care. In 1949, independent Indonesia inherited four very large mental hospitals, about 10 acute-care clinics in the major cities, and an agricultural colony. During the 1950s, mental hospital care remained largely custodial. In 1966, the Directorate of Mental Health adopted the three-fold principles of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation as the foundation of a comprehensive mental health care system. During the 1970s and 1980s, the number of mental hospitals in Indonesia doubled and a variety of treatment methods were introduced. Special attention was given to the care provided by dukuns, or indigenous healers.

Lessons learned in developing community mental health care in East and South East Asia

“…Families often bring the patient to religious healers first, although the government of Viet Nam prohibits this act 42. In Indonesia, up to 80% of people consult traditional healers as a first resort 43. The 1993 survey in Singapore shows 30% of patients in a national hospital visited traditional healers, dukun, before consulting physicians 44.…”

Care for the seafarers: A review of mental health in Austronesia

“…While spiritual beliefs and indigenous healing practices might theoretically delay help seeking and access to “standard” medical care for psychiatric problems, they may also be protective factors and may, if integrated with other services, improve access to care. For example, Pols () described a relationship of mutual tolerance with indigenous healers in Indonesia. While the literature did not otherwise provide clear evidence for common “Austronesian psychological traits” it is likely that acculturative stressors, including cultural tensions between indigenous minority populations, which many Austronesian‐speaking people represent, and majority populations, are an important risk factor for psychopathology and suboptimal access to care.…”

Implementing an innovative intervention to increase research capacity for enhancing early psychosis care in Indonesia

“…Trained mental health workers are scarce in Indonesia. There is an estimated 500+ psychiatrists working in Indonesia at last available count (Pols, 2006), and nursing professionalization is in its infancy.…”

“…Trained mental health workers are scarce in Indonesia. There is an estimated 500+ psychiatrists working in Indonesia at last available count (Pols, ), and nursing professionalization is in its infancy. The first degree‐based nursing programme commenced at Universitas Indonesia in 1985 and it was not until 2005 that similar programmes became available for mental health nursing.…”