EFFECTS OF A MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS TO RECOGNIZE COMMON MENTAL DISORDERS AMONG YOUNG PERSONS IN LAGOS

Abstract

Background: Current evidence indicates that common mental disorders are the greatest cause of disability in young people. The disability associated with common mental disorders in young people have considerable impact on personal wellness, social interaction and workplace productivity. Early recognition of common mental disorders in young people have been shown toimprove treatment outcomes and reduce effects of long duration of untreated illness. Task shifting intervention programs among lay health workers have been reported to help with improved access to appropriate mental healthcare. However there is paucity of studies exploring the potential utility of task shifting interventions for mental health among community pharmacists. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of a mental health training program for community pharmacists to recognize common mental disorders among young persons in Lagos, Nigeria. Methodology: This was a quasi-experimental study with community pharmacists from three local government areas in Lagos State. The community pharmacists in Lagos have been administratively grouped into twenty two zones. In each local government area of Lagos there is one zone, but large local government area like Alimosho Local Government have two zones. Four zones out of the twenty two zones were conveniently selected based on their size and active participation of her members in zonal meetings, the zones were then selected into control and intervention groups. The community pharmacists who consequently participated in the study were recruited from the zonal monthly meetings. The community pharmacists in the intervention group received a 5-hour training on mental health adapted from Mental Health Action Gap (MH-GAP) intervention guide for lay health workers. The study instrument used was the Adapted Teachers’ Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Questionnaire which had case vignettes and Likert scale questions. This was administered to the control and intervention at baseline, immediate post intervention and 4-weeks post intervention. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS- 23). The Socio-demographic variables such as age, sex and level of education were analyzed using frequencies and chi square for comparison between the two groups. Paired t-test and ANOVA were used to analyze the responses between the intervention and control groups and across thethree time frames. The qualitative responses in the data were coded using themes and then analyzed. The level of significance was placed at statistical significance (p value) of 0.05. Results: A total of 140 pharmacists participated in the study with an average age of 34.5 years and 73.1% have only the B.pharm degree and more than half (66.4%) had no prior knowledge on mental health. There was no significant difference between socio-demographic variables between control and intervention groups (p=0.81). The participants in the control and intervention groups were not significantly different on baseline measures on knowledge and attitude to common mental disorders (p>0.05). The post intervention comparison of the intervention and control groups on recognition of common mental disorders as presented in the case vignettes showed significant difference (p<0.05). Post intervention comparison on knowledge scores showed difference which were not statistically significant at immediate post intervention on knowledge (p=0.08) but showed significant difference at 4-weeks post intervention on knowledge scores (p<0.05). The intervention and control groups differed significantly across immediate post intervention and 4-weeks post intervention on attitude scores (p<0.05). ANOVA analysis revealed significant difference in both knowledge and attitude scores across the three time frames as both knowledge and attitude mean scores increased {F (1, 138) = 64.89, p <.001}. Conclusion: A brief mental health training was found to be feasible and effective in increasing knowledge and attitude about common mental disorders among community pharmacists. The beneficial effects of a mental health training on the knowledge and attitude of community pharmacists, agrees with similar reports for other non-specialist healthcare professionals. Thus, with more comprehensive training and follow up, community pharmacists will be able to recognize and provide linkage service to young people with common mental disorders to access appropriate mental healthcare in Nigeria.