A scoping review to evaluate the efficacy of combining traditional healing and modern psychiatry in global mental healthcare
Traditional faith healers (TFHs) are often consulted for serious mental illness (SMIs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Involvement of TFHs in mental healthcare could provide an opportunity for early identification and intervention to reduce the mental health treatment gap in LMICs. The...
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| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2054425125000202/type/journal_article |
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| author | Sagar Jilka Catherine Winsper Samantha A. Johnson Onaedo Ilozumba Ryan G Wagner Sanjana Subhedar Dafne Morroni Richard Lilford Swaran P. Singh |
| author_facet | Sagar Jilka Catherine Winsper Samantha A. Johnson Onaedo Ilozumba Ryan G Wagner Sanjana Subhedar Dafne Morroni Richard Lilford Swaran P. Singh |
| author_sort | Sagar Jilka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Traditional faith healers (TFHs) are often consulted for serious mental illness (SMIs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Involvement of TFHs in mental healthcare could provide an opportunity for early identification and intervention to reduce the mental health treatment gap in LMICs. The aim of this study was to identify models of collaboration between TFHs and biomedical professionals, determine the outcomes of these collaborative models and identify any mechanisms (i.e., explanatory processes) or contextual moderators (i.e., barriers and facilitators) of these outcomes. A systematic scoping review of five electronic databases was performed from inception to March 2023 guided by consultation with local experts in Nigeria and Bangladesh. Data were extracted using a predefined data charting form and synthesised narratively. Six independent studies (eight articles) satisfied the inclusion criteria. Study locations included Ghana (n = 1), Nigeria (n = 1), Nigeria and Ghana (n = 1), India (n = 1), Hong Kong (n = 1) and South Africa (n = 1). We identified two main intervention typologies: (1) Western-based educational interventions for TFHs and (2) shared collaborative models between TFHs and biomedical professionals. Converging evidence from both typologies indicated that education for TFHs can help reduce harmful practices. Shared collaborative models led to significant improvements in psychiatric symptoms (in comparison to care as usual) and increases in referrals to biomedical care from TFHs. Proposed mechanisms underpinning outcomes included trust building and empowering TFHs by increasing awareness and knowledge of mental illness and human rights. Barriers to implementation were observed at the individual (e.g., suspicions of TFHs), relationship (e.g., reluctance of biomedical practitioners to equalise their status with TFHs) and service (e.g., lack of formal referral systems) levels. Research on collaborative models for mental healthcare is in its infancy. Preliminary findings are encouraging. To ensure effective collaboration, future programmes should incorporate active participation from community stakeholders (e.g., patients, caregivers, faith healers) and target barriers to implementation on multiple levels. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-458d2ddd2a494a7f80a052b773cc2596 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2054-4251 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-458d2ddd2a494a7f80a052b773cc25962025-08-20T02:48:54ZengCambridge University PressCambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health2054-42512025-01-011210.1017/gmh.2025.20A scoping review to evaluate the efficacy of combining traditional healing and modern psychiatry in global mental healthcareSagar Jilka0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1578-9350Catherine Winsper1Samantha A. Johnson2Onaedo Ilozumba3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4951-9631Ryan G Wagner4Sanjana Subhedar5Dafne Morroni6https://orcid.org/0009-0008-0921-4941Richard Lilford7Swaran P. Singh8https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3454-2089Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK Warwick Centre for Global Health, University of WarwickWarwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UKLibrary Services, University of Warwick, Coventry, UKInstitute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UKMRC/Wits Agincourt Research Unit, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South AfricaWarwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UKWarwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UKInstitute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UKWarwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK Warwick Centre for Global Health, University of WarwickTraditional faith healers (TFHs) are often consulted for serious mental illness (SMIs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Involvement of TFHs in mental healthcare could provide an opportunity for early identification and intervention to reduce the mental health treatment gap in LMICs. The aim of this study was to identify models of collaboration between TFHs and biomedical professionals, determine the outcomes of these collaborative models and identify any mechanisms (i.e., explanatory processes) or contextual moderators (i.e., barriers and facilitators) of these outcomes. A systematic scoping review of five electronic databases was performed from inception to March 2023 guided by consultation with local experts in Nigeria and Bangladesh. Data were extracted using a predefined data charting form and synthesised narratively. Six independent studies (eight articles) satisfied the inclusion criteria. Study locations included Ghana (n = 1), Nigeria (n = 1), Nigeria and Ghana (n = 1), India (n = 1), Hong Kong (n = 1) and South Africa (n = 1). We identified two main intervention typologies: (1) Western-based educational interventions for TFHs and (2) shared collaborative models between TFHs and biomedical professionals. Converging evidence from both typologies indicated that education for TFHs can help reduce harmful practices. Shared collaborative models led to significant improvements in psychiatric symptoms (in comparison to care as usual) and increases in referrals to biomedical care from TFHs. Proposed mechanisms underpinning outcomes included trust building and empowering TFHs by increasing awareness and knowledge of mental illness and human rights. Barriers to implementation were observed at the individual (e.g., suspicions of TFHs), relationship (e.g., reluctance of biomedical practitioners to equalise their status with TFHs) and service (e.g., lack of formal referral systems) levels. Research on collaborative models for mental healthcare is in its infancy. Preliminary findings are encouraging. To ensure effective collaboration, future programmes should incorporate active participation from community stakeholders (e.g., patients, caregivers, faith healers) and target barriers to implementation on multiple levels.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2054425125000202/type/journal_articletraditional faith healersbiomedical carelow- and middle-income countriescollaborative caremental illness |
| spellingShingle | Sagar Jilka Catherine Winsper Samantha A. Johnson Onaedo Ilozumba Ryan G Wagner Sanjana Subhedar Dafne Morroni Richard Lilford Swaran P. Singh A scoping review to evaluate the efficacy of combining traditional healing and modern psychiatry in global mental healthcare Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health traditional faith healers biomedical care low- and middle-income countries collaborative care mental illness |
| title | A scoping review to evaluate the efficacy of combining traditional healing and modern psychiatry in global mental healthcare |
| title_full | A scoping review to evaluate the efficacy of combining traditional healing and modern psychiatry in global mental healthcare |
| title_fullStr | A scoping review to evaluate the efficacy of combining traditional healing and modern psychiatry in global mental healthcare |
| title_full_unstemmed | A scoping review to evaluate the efficacy of combining traditional healing and modern psychiatry in global mental healthcare |
| title_short | A scoping review to evaluate the efficacy of combining traditional healing and modern psychiatry in global mental healthcare |
| title_sort | scoping review to evaluate the efficacy of combining traditional healing and modern psychiatry in global mental healthcare |
| topic | traditional faith healers biomedical care low- and middle-income countries collaborative care mental illness |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2054425125000202/type/journal_article |
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