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National Clinical Guidelines for Management of Common Mental Disorders
The World Health Organization defines mental health as a “state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and can contribute to his or her community” (World Health Organization, 2022). On the other hand, mental illnesses or disorders are health conditions characterized by significant changes in emotions, thinking, or behaviour, or a combination of these, often associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work, or family activities (World Health Organization, 2022).
Mental illnesses significantly impact individuals’ quality of life and, when untreated, contribute to overall socioeconomic burden, loss of productivity, and negative social implications such as homelessness and poverty. They are among the most significant contributors to the global burden of disease and disability (World Health Organization, 2022).
It is estimated that about 25% of outpatients and 40% of inpatients in health facilities in Kenya have a mental condition (Kenya National Commission on Human Rights [KNCHR], 2011), with the most frequent diagnoses being depression, substance abuse, stress-related, and anxiety disorders (Ndetei et al., 2008). Further, the probable prevalence of psychosis in Kenya is at an average of 1% of the population (Kiima & Jenkins, 2012).
However, about 75-85% of people with a mental illness may be misdiagnosed or go untreated when they visit a health facility, as general healthcare workers in Kenya diagnose only 4.1% of mental illnesses (Ndetei et al., 2009).
To reduce this burden, it is critical to build the capacity of available healthcare workers to be able to diagnose and manage common mental disorders in all healthcare settings.