Improving community-based care for the treatment of schizophrenia: lessons from native Africa

Recent innovations in the treatment of schizophrenia reflect a growing trend towards community-based care, such as Assertive Community Treatment (ACT). These programs reduce psychiatric hospitalization rates, improve residential stability, and result in improved satisfaction with care; however, they fail to show any consistent reduction in psychiatric symptoms or long-term improvement in social adjustment. As growing evidence suggests that the course and outcome of schizophrenia is significantly more favorable in undeveloped countries where community interventions are primary, this paper is an attempt to identify key factors in native African healing practices and their potential application to community-based treatment in the West.