MGHD 2018

Background: Rwanda faces a high burden of mental health (MH) problems as consequence of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. In order to scale up access to mental health care, efforts have been made to decentralize mental health into primary health care. However, little is known about the capacity of primary healthcare nurses to identify, manage and prevent common MH problems. Objective: To assess mental health literacy (MHL) and factors that may be associated among health center nurses in Rubavu district by April 2018. Methods: A total of 74 nurses (28 males; 46 females) were recruited from all Rubavu health centers to participate in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire on their socio-demographic characteristics and MHL (recognition of mental health problems, knowledge about risk factors and existing treatments for common mental health problems, and knowledge about mental health promotion activities). Frequency analyses were used to determine the level of mental MHL and chi-Square test was applied to assess associations between variables. Analyses were conducted with SPSS, 24. Results: Substance Use Disorder was the most widely recognized disorder (with 72% of participants identifying it correctly), followed by PTSD (63%) and Depression (61%). Half of the participants were able to correctly identify Schizophrenia and Somatic Symptom Disorder (51%), whereas only 26% recognized Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Although the large majority of participants were able to identify risk factors for common MH problems (eg. financial problems: 73%), they also endorsed false cultural beliefs about the etiology of MH problems (eg. possession by evil spirits: 72%). In addition to that, 58% to 71% of participants indicated that counselors/psychologists as the most helpful professionals for all the assessed MH problems.Participants’ education level, length of professional experience and previous trainings about mental health were not significantly associated with the level of mental health literacy (all P > .05). Conclusion: Overall, the level of mental health literacy among Rubavu health center nurses is limited, with differing levels in various aspects of mental health literacy. Recommendations are made to improve the academic training of nurses on mental health and to provide in-service training on mental health. This may improve the quality of mental health services.