Abstract summary 

The first line of care is a paramount stage in the management of the mentally ill persons. In Nigeria, traditional and faith-based healers compete with medical professionals in providing care.Pathway to care among patients with Mental Illness at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria.The characteristics of the patients and their pathways to care were assessed using a questionnaire specifically designed by the researchers, based on previous studies. A total of 270 participants were recruited over three months using a convenience sampling technique. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25. Chi-square tests were applied to examine associations, with significance set at P-values less than 0.05. Binary logistic regression was used to identify determinants of the pathway to care.A Few respondents (15.9%) had consulted a psychiatrist and at least 3.6 (SD ± 6.0) non-medical healers were consulted before seeing a psychiatrist. There was a statistically significant association between the pathway to care and the level of education (p = 0.047), ethnicity (p = 0.001), religion (p < 0.001), diagnosis (p = 0.002), and family history of mental illness (p = 0.002). However, religion, family history of mental illness, and diagnosis emerged as determinants of the pathway to care.The use of alternative medicine in the management of mentally ill persons is still more common than orthodox care in our environment, highlighting the need for further advocacy.

Authors & Co-authors:  Yakubu A I AI Umar M U MU Bakare A T AT Abubakar S B SB Abubakar A A Bello A A Abdullahi Uzairu U UU Abdurrahman Z Z Mohammad A D AD Sanusi A Y AY Ladan A A Abubakar H B HB Umar B B BB Junaidu S S Ibrahim A H AH

Study Outcome 

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