Barriers to care among people with schizophrenia attending a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with schizophrenia in low- and middle-income countries and their caregivers face multiple barriers to care-seeking and continuous engagement with treatment services. Identifying specific barrier patterns would aid targeted interventions aimed at improving treatment access. AIM: The aim of this study was to determine stigma- and non-stigma-related barriers to care-seeking among persons with schizophrenia in Nigeria. SETTING: This study was conducted at the Outpatient Clinics of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of a dyad of persons with schizophrenia and caregivers (n = 161) attending outpatient services at a neuro-psychiatric hospital in Nigeria. Stigma- and non-stigma-related barriers were assessed using the 30-item Barriers to Access to Care Evaluation (BACE) scale. RESULTS: Lack of insight, preference for alternative care, illness severity and financial constraints were common barriers to care-seeking among persons with schizophrenia. Females were significantly more likely to report greater overall treatment barrier (p < 0.01) and stigma-related barriers (p < 0.02). CONCLUSION: This study shows that attitudinal barriers impede care access and engagement among persons with schizophrenia in Nigeria.

Implementing modified electroconvulsive therapy in Nigeria: current status and psychiatrists' attitudes.

The current status of modified electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) practice in Nigeria and the attitudes toward the procedure was explored in a cross-sectional study of psychiatrists and trainees. Most psychiatric facilities still make use of the unmodified type of ECT. Although half of the respondents considered their knowledge of ECT as inadequate, most (92.2%) considered ECT relevant in contemporary times and preferred that the modified format be used (73.7%). They, however, identified cost and a lack of physician anesthetists as impediments to the widespread implementation of modified ECT and would welcome the establishment of minimum standards for ECT practice in Nigeria.

Psychiatric manifestations and associated risk factors among hospitalised patients with COVID-19 in Edo State, Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of depression and anxiety and identify associated risk factors in hospitalised persons with confirmed COVID-19 in Edo, Nigeria. DESIGN: A multicentre cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Patients with COVID-19 hospitalised at the three government-designated treatment and isolation centres in Edo State, Nigeria. PARTICIPANTS: The study was conducted from 15 April to 11 November 2020 among 489 patients with confirmed COVID-19 and in treatment and isolation centres in Edo State, Nigeria. The mean age of participants was 43.39 (SD=16.94) years. Male participants were 252 (51.5%) and female were 237 (48.5%). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire for depression, (total score: 0-27, depression ≥10), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 for anxiety (total score: 0-21, anxiety ≥10), and social demographic and clinical characteristics for associated risk factors. RESULTS: Of the 489 participants, 49.1% and 38.0% had depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively. The prevalence rates of depression, anxiety and combination of both were 16.2%, 12.9% and 9.0%, respectively. Moderate-severe symptoms of COVID-19, ≥14 days in isolation, worrying about the outcome of infection and stigma increased the risk of having depression and anxiety. Additionally, being separated/divorced increased the risk of having depression and having comorbidity increased the risk of having anxiety. CONCLUSION: A substantial proportion of our participants experienced depression, anxiety and a combination of both especially in those who had the risk factors we identified. The findings underscore the need to address modifiable risk factors for psychiatric manifestations early in the course of the disease and integrate mental health interventions and psychosocial support into COVID-19 management guidelines.

Burden of care amongst caregivers who are first degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia.

INTRODUCTION: Caring for a mentally ill family member is a challenging task. Caregivers who are first-degree relatives (FDR) are at a higher risk of experiencing the negative consequences of caregiving. This study was aimed at determining burden of care and its correlates in caregivers who are first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: A dyad of 255 patients and caregivers was recruited. A socio-demographic questionnaire was administered to both. The GHQ-12 was used to screen for psychiatric morbidity in the FDRs. Caregiver's burden was assessed with the Zarit Burden Interview. Patients' illness severity and level of functioning were assessed using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the Global Assessment of Functioning scales respectively. RESULTS: The mean ± SD age of caregivers and patients were 45.1 ±12.3 and 36.7 ±13.4 years respectively. About 49% of caregivers experienced high burden of care. Older caregiver's age (r = 0.179; p < 0.004) and greater illness severity (r = 0.332; p < 0.0001) in the patient had weak to moderate positive correlation with burden of care. Caregiver's burden also increased with poorer functioning of the patient (r = -0.467 p < 0.0001). Independent predictors of caregiver burden were low level of education of the caregiver (OR 2.45; 95% CI 1.27-4.73), psychiatric morbidity in the caregiver (OR 6.74; 95% CI 2.51-18.15) and poor patient functioning (OR 2.81; 95% CI 1.27-6.18). CONCLUSION: Caregivers who are first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia experience varying degrees of burden of care during caregiving. Routine screening and early psychological intervention would help to ameliorate these negative consequences of caregiving.

Risk of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome among in-patients at a neuropsychiatric hospital in Nigeria: a short report.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Sleep problems are commonly reported by persons with severe mental illness. Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSA) is commonly co-morbid with mental illness. Screening for OSA and its subsequent management may improve outcomes in this patient population. We screened for risk of OSA among in-patients with severe mental illness to determine its prevalence as well as its correlates using a socio-demographic questionnaire and the Berlin questionnaire. METHODS: A cross sectional descriptive exploratory survey of in-patients (n=89) at a regional Neuro- Psychiatric hospital using a socio-demographic questionnaire and the Berlin questionnaire. RESULTS: Eighteen patients (18/89; 20.9%) were classed as high risk for OSA. High risk for OSA was significantly associated with a higher body mass index; BMI (p<0.01), but not gender (p=0.53), diagnoses (p=0.84), co-morbidity (p=0.73) or use of atypical antipsychotics (p=0.48). CONCLUSION: Patients with severe mental illness are at high risk for OSA with being overweight higher BMI significantly associated with this high risk.