ABSTRACT
Objective:
this study aimed to identify among Cape Verdean professionals working in Primary Health Care services the barriers impeding care from being provided to people with mental disorders in this context.
Method:
data in this qualitative study was collected between February and March 2020 using semi-structured interviews with 43 workers from five Health Centers in the urban areas of Cape Verde/Africa. The interviews were treated with content analysis.
Results:
the barriers included: the professionals’ perception regarding people with mental disorders concerning a feeling of being threatened by these patients, such as a fear of having their physical integrity at risk; lack of coordination between the team and the services; lack of knowledge of protocols; and distancing from care in the mental health field.
Conclusion:
the barriers identified here show a need to qualify PHC professionals. In this sense, matrix support is an alternative for continuing education to leveraging existing resources.
DESCRIPTORS:
Primary health care; Mental health; Patient care team; Mental disorders; Barriers to access of health services