Metrics details. Mental health workers MHWs are exposed to conflicts of competence daily when performing tasks related to the provision of mental health services. This may be linked to a lack of understanding of their tasks as caregivers and providers.
Furthermore, in most low-income settings, it is unclear how the available services are organized and coordinated to provide mental health care.
To understand the above, this study aimed to identify the current mix of services for mental health care in the urban Democratic Republic of the Congo DRC.
A qualitative descriptive study was carried out in Lubumbashi from February to April We conducted 7 focus group discussions FGDs with 74 key informants family members, primary care physicians, etc. We performed a qualitative content analysis, guided by an analytical framework, that led to the development of a comprehensive inventory of MHWs from the household level to specialized facilities, exploring their tasks in care delivery, identifying existing services, and defining their current organization.
Analysis of transcripts from the FGDs and IDIs showed that traditional healers and family caregivers are the leading providers in Lubumbashi. Active informal caregivers do not currently provide care corresponding to their competencies.
