1
|
Koly KN, Saba J, Rao M, Rasheed S, Reidpath DD, Armstrong S, Gnani S. Stakeholder perspectives of mental healthcare services in Bangladesh, its challenges and opportunities: a qualitative study. Glob Ment Health (Camb) 2024; 11:e37. [PMID: 38572252 PMCID: PMC10988148 DOI: 10.1017/gmh.2024.30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
This study explores Bangladesh's mental health services from an individual- and system-level perspective and provides insights and recommendations for strengthening it's mental health system. We conducted 13 in-depth interviews and 2 focus group discussions. Thirty-one participants were recruited using a combination of purposive and snowball sampling methods. All interviews and group discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed, and key findings were translated from Bengali to English. Data were coded manually and analysed using a thematic and narrative analysis approach. Stakeholders perceived scarcity of service availability at the peripheral level, shortage of professionals, weak referral systems, lack of policy implementation and regulatory mechanisms were significant challenges to the mental health system in Bangladesh. At the population level, low levels of mental health literacy, high societal stigma, and treatment costs were barriers to accessing mental healthcare. Key recommendations included increasing the number of mental health workers and capacity building, strengthening regulatory mechanisms to enhance the quality of care within the health systems, and raising awareness about mental health. Introducing measures that relate to tackling stigma, mental health literacy as well as building the capacity of the health workforce and governance systems will help ensure universal mental health coverage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kamrun Nahar Koly
- Health System & Population Studies Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Jobaida Saba
- Health System & Population Studies Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mala Rao
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Sabrina Rasheed
- Health System & Population Studies Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Daniel D. Reidpath
- Health System & Population Studies Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
| | - Stephanie Armstrong
- School of Health and Social Care, College of Health and Science, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
| | - Shamini Gnani
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|