Examining the Perception and Expectations of African Adults towards Mental Health Matters

This study evaluates and clarifies the perceptions and expectations of African men and women towards mental health issues. The cross-sectional online survey consisted of the domains of demographics, mental health perception, and mental health expectations. A descriptive analysis was done on the data of 114 participants from Nigeria and Zimbabwe. The gender gap in the responses points to an unwillingness of the male population to engage in studies regarding mental health. Also, most of the respondents stated that they were not aware of any mental health resources in their countries. Respondents admitted to experiencing changes to their mental health in their daily lives due to stressors such as work and studying, and needing support to deal with the challenge. A holistic approach to mental healthcare would be most effective in addressing mental healthcare in African countries. For this to happen, mental health needs to be prioritized and properly financed.