Primary Health Care Providers Perceived Challenges in Detecting Psychiatric Disorders Among Adolescents in a Primary Health Care Facility in Kenya

Purpose The objective of the study was to determine perceived health care provider factors that lead to undetected psychiatric diagnosis among adolescents. Study Design The study was a mixed method cross-sectional study. This paper is derived from the qualitative interviews. Methods Healthcare providers were assessed using a researcher-developed semi-structured questionnaire. The researcher read out the questions to the research participants and then wrote verbatim the responses on the space provided. Forty healthcare providers were purposively sampled and included both clinicians and nurses that attend to adolescents in the outpatient department at the Limuru health center facility. Results The participants identified various factors that contributed to low detection of psychiatric disorders among adolescents which included lack of adequate knowledge, lack of communication skills, shortage of consultation time, and lack of diagnostic supporting assessment tools. The most commonly diagnosed psychiatric disorders, by providers, were stress and psychosis. Most providers preferred to not give a psychiatric diagnosis, even when the index of suspicion was high, one to avoid “stigmatizing the patient,” and because they felt unsure of the precise diagnosis. Conclusion The study concluded that there were various perceived factors that led to low detection of psychiatric disorders among adolescents by clinicians at the primary health care level facilities, and these should be addressed. Study Implication This study provides a basis to push for further implementation of policies that support the integration of mental health at the primary health care level and to advice on the training curriculum used to train health care providers pre-service and in-service.