Barriers to Accessing Mental Health Services among Schizophrenia Patients: A Qualitative Study on Patient Experiences and Systemic Challenges
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajhp.v4i1.4117Keywords:
Mental health, Schizophrenia, StigmaAbstract
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that causes considerable social and personal dysfunction. The study aims to identify and analyze the barriers that schizophrenia patients face in accessing mental health services. A qualitative cross-sectional study design and semi-structured interviews were conducted with the consent of twenty schizophrenia patients who recently sought the services of a mental health facility. Recruitment was carried out through clinics, and support groups for hemochromatosis individuals. Transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis to establish common themes and care-related barriers. The analysis revealed five main barriers: organizational restraint, providers and systems, social and psychological, resource limitation, and improvement recommendations. The study supports patient-information-level and policy-level interventions on care integration, stigma, and mental health services. These barriers potentially construct mental health service usage and quality for consumers with schizophrenia, enhancing both health status and quality of life
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Copyright (c) 2026 Franklin E. Ibadin, Excel Onajite Ernest-Okonofua, Trevor Efosa Edobor, Aminu Sufu Mahmud
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