The Challenges Faced by Mental Health Care Users in a Primary Care Setting: A Qualitative Study

Over the past two decades, the value and benefits of integrated mental health care services have been increasingly recognised. Despite the potential benefits, barriers exist at primary care level to receiving mental health care services, interfering with continuity of care. We conducted semi-structured interviews with mental healthcare users at a primary care clinic in South Africa, to explore their experiences of receiving mental health care services. A convenience sample of 15 participants identified challenges such as limited infrastructure, organisation, medication, services in local communities, allied mental health care services, communication and long waiting times. Mental health care users felt uncared for and disrespected, especially if they were treated by unskilled and overworked staff. Mental health care users described clinic visits as stressful and frustrating. Mental health care users described marked challenges in mental health care service provision in a South African primary health care setting.