Community health workers’ attitude towards people with mental illness: potential challenge of maternal mental health services in a selected health centre, Ruhengeri Hospital in Rwanda

Abstract

Introduction: Integration of mental health services into non psychiatric health care facilities from community level was recommended by the world health organization (WHO) in 1984 to improve the quality of mental health services provided to the local population. Community Health Workers (CHWs) have an important role to play for the implementation of WHO recommendation of integration especially at the community level. Research objectives were to: Describe attitude among CHWstowards people with a mental illness and explore relationships between socio-demographic variables and CHWs’ attitude towards people with mental illness in Muhoza health center/Ruhengeri hospital in Rwanda.

Methods: In this study, a quantitative descriptive cross-sectional design was used to conduct a research among CHWs operating under Muhoza health centre/ Ruhengeri hospital in Rwanda. A selfreport questionnaire was used to collect data on a sample of 138. Questionnaire consisted of sociodemographic variables and two sections that include level of contact (LOC) and the Community Attitude towards Mental Illness-Swedish version (CAMI-S). The statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 22 was used to analyze data.

Results: Findings showed negative attitude among community health workers in regards to people with mental illness (MI). The participants’ total score on the CAMI-S was ranging between 25% and 87%. This study revealed that participants with lower level of education and less experienced as CHWs reflected higher negative attitude in regards of people with mental illness than participants with higher level education and more experienced. Also, results from this study indicated that increase in LOC correlates with decrease in fear and avoidance towards people with mental illness.

Conclusion: Community health workers in a selected Health Centre/ Ruhengeri Hospital, in Rwanda hold negative attitudes towards people mentally ill. Also, there is association between negative stereotypes towards people mentally ill and the level of education and experience. Familiarity has a mediating effect on negative attitudes hold by community health workers in regards to people mentally ill.

Keywords: Community health workers, mental illness, health centre, negative attitude