Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30456425›Full record

ArticleSocial psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology2019

A survey of traditional and faith healers providing mental health care in three sub-Saharan African countries.

Oluyomi Esan, John Appiah-Poku, Caleb Othieno, Lola Kola, Benjamin Harris, Gareth Nortje, Victor Makanjuola, Bibilola Oladeji, LeShawndra Price, Soraya Seedat and 1 more

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Article in Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
31citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
4.3field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

31 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 61 citations in OpenAlex.

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  6. What does the profile of psychosis in Africa tell us?Neuropsychiatrie : Klinik, Diagnostik, Therapie und Rehabilitation : Organ der Gesellschaft Osterreichischer Nervenarzte und Psychiater · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 7 institutions in 7 countries.

Oluyomi EsanDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. oluyomie@yahoo.com.
John Appiah-PokuKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Caleb OthienoUniversity of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
Lola KolaWorld Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
Benjamin HarrisUniversity of Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia.
Gareth NortjeStellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Victor MakanjuolaDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Bibilola OladejiDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
LeShawndra PriceStellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Soraya SeedatStellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Oye GurejeDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
University of Ibadan · NGStellenbosch University · ZAKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology · GHNational Institutes of Health · USUniversity of Liberia · LRUniversity of Nairobi · KEWorld Health Organization · CH

Funding

Research Component - Partnerships for Mental Health Development in Sub-Saharan Africa U19MH098718 · NIMH · COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN · PI GUREJE, OYEWUSI · 2012 to 2016
$2.6M
NIMH NIH HHS 5U19MH098718-04World Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTraditional and faith healers constitute an important group of complementary and alternative mental health service providers (CAPs) in sub-Sahara Africa. Governments in the region commonly express a desire to integrate them into the public health system. The aim of the study was to describe the profile, practices and distribution of traditional and faith healers in three sub-Saharan African countries in great need for major improvements in their mental health systems namely Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria. MATERIALS AND

methodsA mapping exercise of CAPs who provide mental health care was conducted in selected catchment areas in the three countries through a combination of desk review of existing registers, engagement activities with community leaders and a snowballing technique. Information was collected on the type of practice, the methods of diagnosis and the forms of treatment using a specially designed proforma.

resultsWe identified 205 CAPs in Ghana, 406 in Kenya and 82 in Nigeria. Most (> 70%) of the CAPs treat both physical and mental illnesses. CAPs receive training through long years of apprenticeship. They use a combination of herbs, various forms of divination and rituals in the treatment of mental disorders. The use of physical restraints by CAPs to manage patients was relatively uncommon in Kenya (4%) compared to Nigeria (63.4%) and Ghana (21%). CAPs often have between 2- to 10-fold capacity for patient admission compared to conventional mental health facilities. The profile of CAPs in Kenya stands out from those of Ghana and Nigeria in many respects.

conclusionCAPs are an important group of providers of mental health care in sub-Saharan Africa, but attempts to integrate them into the public health system must address the common use of harmful treatment practices.

Indexed as

Faith HealingHealth PersonnelMedicine, African TraditionalMental Health ServicesAdultFemaleGhanaHealth Care SurveysHumansKenyaMaleMental DisordersNigeriaMental health careSub-Saharan African countriesSurveyTraditional and faith healers

Identifiers

PMID30456425
OpenAlexW2901144729

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.