TY - JOUR
T1 - Use of coercion in mental healthcare services in Nigeria
T2 - Service providers' perspective
AU - Aluh, Deborah Oyine
AU - Ayilara, Olaniyi
AU - Onu, Justus Uchenna
AU - Pedrosa, Barbara
AU - Silva, Manuela
AU - Grigaitė, Ugnė
AU - Santos-Dias, Margarida
AU - Cardoso, Graça
AU - Caldas-de-Almeida, José Miguel
N1 - persons
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - BACKGROUND: There is increasing advocacy to reduce coercive practices in mental healthcare. Little research has been done on the topic in developing countries.AIMS: To explore what mental health professionals in Nigeria think about coercion, why it is used, and what contextual factors influence its use in mental healthcare services.METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 16 doctors and 14 nurses from two psychiatric hospitals in two regions of Nigeria. The audio-recorded interviews were analyzed thematically with the aid of MAXQDA software.RESULTS: Three broad categories relating to the perception of, reasons for, and barriers/facilitators to the use of coercion were derived. Coercion was viewed as being for the best interests of patients, a means to an end, and effective for achieving desired outcomes. Safety was both a reason to use a coercive measure and a deterrent to using specific coercive measures thought to be unsafe. The socio-cultural context, obsolete mental health legislation, staff shortages, and attitudes were factors influencing the use of coercion in mental healthcare.CONCLUSION: Coercion was perceived to be ultimately beneficial in mental health practice. There is need for a new mental health legislation and more resources for mental health care in Nigeria to address the problem of coercion.
AB - BACKGROUND: There is increasing advocacy to reduce coercive practices in mental healthcare. Little research has been done on the topic in developing countries.AIMS: To explore what mental health professionals in Nigeria think about coercion, why it is used, and what contextual factors influence its use in mental healthcare services.METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 16 doctors and 14 nurses from two psychiatric hospitals in two regions of Nigeria. The audio-recorded interviews were analyzed thematically with the aid of MAXQDA software.RESULTS: Three broad categories relating to the perception of, reasons for, and barriers/facilitators to the use of coercion were derived. Coercion was viewed as being for the best interests of patients, a means to an end, and effective for achieving desired outcomes. Safety was both a reason to use a coercive measure and a deterrent to using specific coercive measures thought to be unsafe. The socio-cultural context, obsolete mental health legislation, staff shortages, and attitudes were factors influencing the use of coercion in mental healthcare.CONCLUSION: Coercion was perceived to be ultimately beneficial in mental health practice. There is need for a new mental health legislation and more resources for mental health care in Nigeria to address the problem of coercion.
KW - barriers and facilitators
KW - Coercion
KW - involuntary admission
KW - mental health professionals
KW - Nigeria
KW - perceptions
KW - restraint
U2 - 10.1080/09638237.2023.2182426
DO - 10.1080/09638237.2023.2182426
M3 - Article
C2 - 36850036
SN - 0963-8237
SP - 1
EP - 9
JO - Journal of Mental Health
JF - Journal of Mental Health
ER -
