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18 - Social Neuroscience in Global Mental Health

Case Study on Stigma Reduction in Nepal

from Part II - Applications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2020

By
Brandon Kohrt
Edited by
Laurence J. Kirmayer ,
Carol M. Worthman ,
Shinobu Kitayama ,
Robert Lemelson  and
Constance A. Cummings
Laurence J. Kirmayer
Affiliation:
McGill University, Montréal
Carol M. Worthman
Affiliation:
Emory University, Atlanta
Shinobu Kitayama
Affiliation:
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Robert Lemelson
Affiliation:
University of California, Los Angeles
Constance A. Cummings
Affiliation:
The Foundation for Psychocultural Research
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Summary

In low- and middle-income countries, the number of people with mental illness receiving minimally adequate care ranges from 1 out of 25 to 1 out of a 100. Given this major treatment gap, the World Health Organization and other institutions advocate provision of mental health care by primary care workers. However, there has been limited delivery of services after primary care workers are trained in mental health. One reason is that training programs have focused on increasing knowledge while not addressing attitudes. Social neuroscience theories can improve mental health training by addressing affect and motivation of health workers. Social neuroscience highlights the need to reduce between-group identity distinctions and threat while fostering empathy. Promoting health worker self-efficacy and therapeutic allegiance also benefits service delivery. Ultimately, social neuroscience theories can strengthen strategies to increase mental health services for persons living in low resource settings around the world.

Keywords

social neurosciencestigmaglobal mental healthservice usersprimary caremedical anthropologytraining
Type
Chapter
Information
Culture, Mind, and Brain
Emerging Concepts, Models, and Applications
 , pp. 438 - 449
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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