Portia Mazabane | University of KwaZulu-Natal (original) (raw)

Papers by Portia Mazabane

Research paper thumbnail of Feasibility and acceptability of a mental health stigma intervention for low-income South African caregivers: A qualitative investigation

South African Journal of Psychiatry

Due to the limited mental health services in Africa, 5 caregiving for service users with severe m... more Due to the limited mental health services in Africa, 5 caregiving for service users with severe mental illness often falls onto family members who are the only available support. 10,11,12 Caregiving is an Background: Common mental health illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders are increasing globally. There remain significant gaps in health services provision and support for mental illness linked to stigma in developing countries. Aim: Our study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a mental health intervention for caregivers of mental health service users. Setting: Low-income South African communities. Method: Our study qualitatively assessed the feasibility of an anti-stigma mental health intervention for family caregivers in low-income settings. The intervention was structured into five sessions delivered over three days. Caregivers attended all the sessions at a centralised community venue. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were held separately with caregivers (n = 10) and their service users (n = 9) eight weeks post-intervention. Interviews were translated verbatim from local languages to English prior to framework analysis. Results: Post-intervention, service users reported improved family relations and understanding of mental illness among family members. The intervention was reported as acceptable and helpful by caregivers as it increased knowledge, fostering better relationships with service users. Group discussions were noted as a critical driver of intervention success. Widespread mental health stigma within communities remained a key concern for caregivers and service users. Conclusion: With the government's drive for deinstitutionalisation, the need to integrate antistigma interventions within community mental health services is vital, as is the need for population-wide anti-stigma interventions to support the integration of mental health service users within communities.

Research paper thumbnail of Young adult males' experiences of relationships with older persons in an economically deprived community in the North West Province

Intergenerational relationships involve interactions between individuals or groups of different a... more Intergenerational relationships involve interactions between individuals or groups of different age groups, which may be familial or social. These relationships are not limited to immediate family, but spread across other social structures. The purpose of this study was to describe how young adult males experience their relationship with socially related older people. The study was conducted qualitatively following a phenomenological design for which 11 male participants between 18 and 35 years were selected according to their availability. Participants reside in an economically deprived community in the North West Province in South Africa. Data were obtained using the Mmogo-method ®, , a culturally sensitive, visual data-gathering tool, to gain deeper understanding and meaning of what young people experienced as recipients of norms and values within their community, and were analyzed thematically and visually. The results indicated that young people experience ambivalence in terms ...

Research paper thumbnail of Current strategies in the reduction of stigma among caregivers of patients with mental illness: a scoping review

South African Journal of Psychology, 2021

Mental healthcare and wellness are a global concern and have increasingly become an essential ser... more Mental healthcare and wellness are a global concern and have increasingly become an essential service and priority from a human rights perspective. However, negative attitudes towards mental health...

Research paper thumbnail of Mental health stigma experiences among caregivers and service users in South Africa: a qualitative investigation

Current Psychology

The study aimed to understand the nature and context of mental health stigma among people living ... more The study aimed to understand the nature and context of mental health stigma among people living with a mental health condition and the subsequent effect on their caregivers. Semi-structured qualitative face to face interviews were conducted by trained mental healthcare professionals with mental health service users (n = 26) and caregivers (n = 24) in private rooms at a tertiary health facility, where service users were admitted. Following transcription and translation, data was analysed using framework analysis. There was limited knowledge about their mental health diagnosis by service users and generally low mental health literacy among service users and caregivers. Mental health service users reported experiences of stigma from their own families and communities. Caregivers reported withholding the patient's diagnosis from the community for fear of being stigmatised, and this fear of stigma carries the risk of negatively affecting care treatment-seeking. Limited mental health knowledge, coupled with a high prevalence of perceived family and community stigma among caregivers and service users, impedes the capacity of caregivers to effectively cope in supporting their family members living with mental illness. There is a need for interventions to provide psychoeducation, reduce community stigma, and support coping strategies for caregivers and people with mental health conditions.

Research paper thumbnail of Feasibility and acceptability of a mental health stigma intervention for low-income South African caregivers: A qualitative investigation

South African Journal of Psychiatry

Due to the limited mental health services in Africa, 5 caregiving for service users with severe m... more Due to the limited mental health services in Africa, 5 caregiving for service users with severe mental illness often falls onto family members who are the only available support. 10,11,12 Caregiving is an Background: Common mental health illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders are increasing globally. There remain significant gaps in health services provision and support for mental illness linked to stigma in developing countries. Aim: Our study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a mental health intervention for caregivers of mental health service users. Setting: Low-income South African communities. Method: Our study qualitatively assessed the feasibility of an anti-stigma mental health intervention for family caregivers in low-income settings. The intervention was structured into five sessions delivered over three days. Caregivers attended all the sessions at a centralised community venue. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were held separately with caregivers (n = 10) and their service users (n = 9) eight weeks post-intervention. Interviews were translated verbatim from local languages to English prior to framework analysis. Results: Post-intervention, service users reported improved family relations and understanding of mental illness among family members. The intervention was reported as acceptable and helpful by caregivers as it increased knowledge, fostering better relationships with service users. Group discussions were noted as a critical driver of intervention success. Widespread mental health stigma within communities remained a key concern for caregivers and service users. Conclusion: With the government's drive for deinstitutionalisation, the need to integrate antistigma interventions within community mental health services is vital, as is the need for population-wide anti-stigma interventions to support the integration of mental health service users within communities.

Research paper thumbnail of Young adult males' experiences of relationships with older persons in an economically deprived community in the North West Province

Intergenerational relationships involve interactions between individuals or groups of different a... more Intergenerational relationships involve interactions between individuals or groups of different age groups, which may be familial or social. These relationships are not limited to immediate family, but spread across other social structures. The purpose of this study was to describe how young adult males experience their relationship with socially related older people. The study was conducted qualitatively following a phenomenological design for which 11 male participants between 18 and 35 years were selected according to their availability. Participants reside in an economically deprived community in the North West Province in South Africa. Data were obtained using the Mmogo-method ®, , a culturally sensitive, visual data-gathering tool, to gain deeper understanding and meaning of what young people experienced as recipients of norms and values within their community, and were analyzed thematically and visually. The results indicated that young people experience ambivalence in terms ...

Research paper thumbnail of Current strategies in the reduction of stigma among caregivers of patients with mental illness: a scoping review

South African Journal of Psychology, 2021

Mental healthcare and wellness are a global concern and have increasingly become an essential ser... more Mental healthcare and wellness are a global concern and have increasingly become an essential service and priority from a human rights perspective. However, negative attitudes towards mental health...

Research paper thumbnail of Mental health stigma experiences among caregivers and service users in South Africa: a qualitative investigation

Current Psychology

The study aimed to understand the nature and context of mental health stigma among people living ... more The study aimed to understand the nature and context of mental health stigma among people living with a mental health condition and the subsequent effect on their caregivers. Semi-structured qualitative face to face interviews were conducted by trained mental healthcare professionals with mental health service users (n = 26) and caregivers (n = 24) in private rooms at a tertiary health facility, where service users were admitted. Following transcription and translation, data was analysed using framework analysis. There was limited knowledge about their mental health diagnosis by service users and generally low mental health literacy among service users and caregivers. Mental health service users reported experiences of stigma from their own families and communities. Caregivers reported withholding the patient's diagnosis from the community for fear of being stigmatised, and this fear of stigma carries the risk of negatively affecting care treatment-seeking. Limited mental health knowledge, coupled with a high prevalence of perceived family and community stigma among caregivers and service users, impedes the capacity of caregivers to effectively cope in supporting their family members living with mental illness. There is a need for interventions to provide psychoeducation, reduce community stigma, and support coping strategies for caregivers and people with mental health conditions.