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Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

Perceived Barriers to Help Seeking for Psychosis among Secondary School Students in Lagos, Nigeria

Adeosun Increase Ibukun, Adegbohun Abosede Adekeji, Jeje Oyetayo Oyewunmi, Bello Abidemi Olubunmi, O. Manuwa Olufikunayo

Journal of Education, Society and Behavioural Science · pp. 153–160 · Published 27 May 2015

10.9734/BJESBS/2015/18060

Abstract

Aim: To assess the barriers to help seeking for psychosis among adolescent students in Lagos Nigeria. Study Design and Methodology: Using a cross-sectional study design, 156 adolescent students attending a public co-educational secondary school in Lagos, south-West Nigeria completed a vignette-based questionnaire which assessed barriers to help-seeking for psychosis. The vignette depicted an adolescent with psychosis (schizophrenia). Results: The mean age of the participating students was 15.9 (±1.1) years and 49% were males. The most frequently reported barrier to help-seeking was stigma (42.5%). Others included illness-related barriers (23.0%), disapproval by friends/families (15.8%), negative perceptions about treatment (9.4%), preference for spiritual cure (7.2%), financial constraints (7.2%), and ‘not knowing what to do’ (5.8%). Conclusion: Potentially modifiable barriers especially stigma, disapproval by social network and misperceptions about treatment hinder help-seeking for psychosis among the studied adolescents.

Mental health literacy adolescents barriers stigma psychosis schizophrenia Nigeria

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