Community Mental Health Nurses’ Perspectives on Assessing Common Mental Disorders in Primary Care: A Qualitative Study from Ghana

Abstract

Background: Mental health assessment remains the cornerstone of all mental health professionals caring for people living with mental disorders. Mental health assessment and diagnosis have shifted to general practitioners and community mental health nurses due to the low number of trained psychiatrists and psychologists in low- and middle-income countries. Objective: Explore community mental health nurses’ perspectives on the assessment of common mental disorders in primary mental healthcare settings in Ghana Methodology: The research design used was descriptive qualitative. We conducted a face-to-face interview using a non-directive interview guide. The participants were selected using purposive sampling, and data were transcribed and analyzed thematically. Findings: The study identified five main themes: techniques in assessment, types of screening tools, planning care after diagnosis, and knowledge regarding the assessment of individuals living with mental illness. Participants recognized the mental state evaluation tool as the only valid and reliable tool they were familiar with, even though more accurate and straightforward tools are available. Participants acknowledged their limited understanding of how to effectively assess and screen individuals living with common mental disorders. Conclusion: Community mental health nurses dominate Ghana's primary mental health care system. Community mental health nurses provide patients committed, high-quality treatment despite the strain brought on by patients' and family members' increasing accessibility. They would be more successful if trained to screen primary care patients for common mental illnesses. Validated assessment and screening tools are needed to identify common mental disorders.