{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.029022082018927444, 'fraction_numerical': 0.014511041009463722, 'mean_word_length': 5.344, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Access to health care in African cities: therapeutic pathways of city dwellers with mental health problems in Yaoundé – Cameroon

ABSTRACT There is growing evidence that mental health literacy has improved worldwide in recent years. Despite the high prevalence of mental health problems and disorders, patients mostly in developing societies do not have quick access to adequate treatment. The question arises as to when and where people with mental problems seek help. Objectives: This paper aims at tracing the help-seeking pathways of mental patients, and to identify institutions where people with mental disorders look for help. Data used in this study derived from a longitudinal population survey conducted in urban settings of Cameroon in 2015 and 2017. Using structured questionnaires, the survey assessed socio-demographic details of patients, details of illness, and the various treatment facilities contacted by the patient. Findings indicate that (i) a wide range of treatment options used by the patients vary from no treatment (02.4%) to professional care (34.8%) and faith healers (10.2%); (ii) availability and ease of accessibility (06.9%), recommendations from others, and belief in supernatural causation of illness (29.0%) were the most important reasons for resorting to a particular facility. The emerging pathways to psychiatric care underline the importance of improving awareness through campaigns that will facilitate the recognition of psychiatric disorders, and that family members have a significant role in the decision to seek help from health services.