Incorporating sociocultural beliefs in mental health services in Kwaio, Solomon Islands.
Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists August 1, 2009 David Maclaren, James Asugeni, Rowena Asugeni et al. 23 citations
A new mental health service at Atoifi Adventist Hospital in the Solomon Islands is working with the Kwaio community to blend local beliefs into care. In early 2008, interviews were conducted with 20 people who had experienced buru spirit possession and 30 family members across five remote hamlets. Buru spirits cause antisocial behavior, mutism, suicidal thoughts, delusions, aggression, and isolation. Traditional healers report that 50% of treated people are cured, 30% temporarily cured, and 20% see no effect. The service aims to incorporate these cultural understandings to improve prevention, treatment, and recovery.