South African Psychiatry - February 2019

REPORT
THIRD NATIONAL PMHF
The 2016 Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation,
(IHME) statistics concerning ‘the prevalence by
mental and substance use disorder’ internationally,
are noted in Table II.
Table II: Share of the population with a given mental
health or substance use disorder in 2016
Disorder
Prevalence
Anxiety Disorders 3.83 %
Depression 3.77%
Alcohol Use Disorders 1.37%
Drug Use Disorders 0,85%
Bipolar Disorder 0.61%
Schizophrenia 0.29 %
Eating Disorders 0.14%
Source: http://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-tool.
THE FIGURES ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE
A TRUE ESTIMATE OF THE FINDINGS,
GOING BEYOND REPORTED DIAGNOSIS,
OF DISORDER BASED ON MEDICAL,
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DATA SURVEYS
AND MET-REGRESSION MODELLING.
DR. ROSE WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT IN
2014 A PERSON HAVING DEPRESSION
AND ANXIETY FACED A REDUCTION
OF PERSONAL INCOME OF $ 4798,
(PER ADULT ANNUALLY) RESULTING IN
A $3.6 BILLION ANNUAL NATIONAL
LOSS IN SOUTH AFRICA. IN CONTRAST
A NIGERIAN STUDY ESTIMATED THE
NATIONAL LOSS TO BE $166.2 MILLION
ANNUALLY. THE ANNUAL PRODUCTIVITY
LOSS IN KENYA WAS $453 MILLION. IN
GHANA PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS WAS
ASSOCIATED WITH A 6.8% LOSS IN GDP.
A consultant in Psychiatry at the University of Pretoria,
Dr Funeka Sokudela, discussed the role of stigma in
mental health. She highlighted the fact that many
Mental Health Care Users are still being discriminated
against for a number of reasons including their
mental illnesses, gender, ethnic background and
sexual orientation. She stressed the importance of
psychiatrists taking responsibility for combating this
stigma.
Dr Lesley Robertson, a community psychiatrist
affiliated to the University of the Witwatersrand,
discussed studies related to the Global Burden of
Disease and their relevance to mental health in
South Africa (see Feature article in this issue).
Dr Michelle Nel of the Department of Psychiatry at
the University of the Free State addressed the topic
“The Mental Health of Refugees”. The population of
our world is over 7,7 billion people of which tens of
millions have been forced to flee their homes due to
violent conflict.
THE OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH
COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHC)
CLAIMS THE WORLD IS CURRENTLY
FACING ONE OF THE HIGHEST LEVELS
OF DISPLACEMENT EVER IN HISTORY.
ACCORDING TO UN STATISTICS, AN
UNPRECEDENTED 65.3 MILLION PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN FORCED FROM THEIR HOMES
BY WAR, INTERNAL CONFLICTS, DROUGHT
OR POOR ECONOMICS. AMONG THESE
ARE 21.3 MILLION REFUGEES, OVER HALF
OF WHOM ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18;
THE REST ARE ECONOMIC MIGRANTS
AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS.
THE MENTAL CONDITIONS FACING
REFUGEES INCLUDE MAJOR DEPRESSION,
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER,
ADJUSTMENT DISORDERS, ANXIETY
DISORDERS, PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS
AND GRIEF AND BEREAVEMENT. THERE
IS COMPELLING EVIDENCE THAT
SCHIZOPHRENIA AND OTHER PSYCHOTIC
DISORDERS ARE MORE PREVALENT
AMONGST REFUGEES RESETTLED IN
HIGH-INCOME COUNTRIES, COMPARED
TO OTHER IMMIGRANTS AND HOST
POPULATIONS.
Dr Carla Kotze, consultant in Psychiatry at the
University of Pretoria concluded the forum by
thanking all the speakers and everyone who made
it possible. It is anticipated that the Public Mental
Health Forum for senior registrars will continue
annually or at least bi-annually in future.
Richard J. Nichol is an Associate Professor and a Principal Specialist (Head: Childand Adolescent Psychiatry) in the Department
of Psychiatry, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.Correspondence: NicholR@fshealth.gov.za
SOUTH AFRICAN PSYCHIATRY ISSUE 18 2019 * 49