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319403
Mental health professionals' attitude and perception of their role in tackling substance abuse and related disorders in Nigeria


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 4:30 p.m. - 4:43 p.m.

Olubusayo Akinola, PhD, College of health sciences, Walden University, Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN
Wen-Hung Kuo, PhD, College of health sciences, Walden University, Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN
John Oswald, PhD, MPH, College of health sciences, Walden University, Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN
Lawrence Fulton, PhD, College of health sciences, Walden University, Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN
Olawunmi Obisesan, PhD, College of Health Sciences, Walden University, Minneapolis, MN
  
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Mental health professionals (MHPs) play a pivotal role in enhancing treatment outcome and minimizing harm to the general public by drug-using populations. To date, there’s a notable absence of empirical studies that have examined regional variation in attitudes of MHPs towards tackling substance abuse related disorders in Nigeria. This study aims to assess the attitudes and perception of MHPs’ role towards tackling substance abuse and related disorders, to identify predictors of perception and to explore regional variations in attitude.

A cross-sectional survey based on the validated drug and drug users’ problem perception questionnaire and the substance abuse attitude survey was conducted in a randomized sample of 360 mental health professionals practicing in neuropsychiatric hospitals and mental health departments of teaching hospitals from four geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

A response rate of 81.1% was achieved. Mental health professionals tended towards non-permissive, moralistic and stereotypic spectrum but exhibited distinctly defined role-perception. Role-support (O.R=1.48, 95%C.I,1.245,1.764,p<.0001), work-motivation (O.R=.55, 95%C.I=.400,.750, p<.0001) and educational attainment (O.R=.50, 95%C.1=.263,0.933,p=.030) significantly predicted MHPs role-perception. The Kruskal-Wallis analysis established significant regional variation in the attitude of multidisciplinary mental health professionals, H(3)=18.727,p<.0001. Step-down follow-up analysis revealed that the distribution of attitude total-score vary significantly between the south-south and the southwestern region (p<.0001), the northeastern and southwestern region of the country (p<.028).  

A holistic approach towards standardization of drug treatment and care that takes into consideration cultural differences, diverse religious and ethnic-mix predominating in different regions should be implemented to foster the reintegration and rehabilitation of this population-group into the main-stream society.

Learning Areas:

Administration, management, leadership
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Diversity and culture
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
Discuss factors that may predict mental health professionals' perception of their role towards tackling substance abuse and related disorders. Discuss regional variation in attitude towards handling drug-using populations and the importance of mental health system strengthening policies that will translate into improved regional access to drug dependent treatment plans and care.

Keyword(s): Mental Health Treatment &Care, Drug Abuse

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: My level of work based experience in Nigeria increased my passion to look into minimizing risk by individuals that misuse substances through effective healthcare delivery. I conducted this study as a doctoral dissertation in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of doctor of philosophy. As the primary researcher, I performed data collection and analysis of the study.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4429.0: Global issues in mental health