A Qualitative Study on Mental Health Services in Primary Care in Türkiye

Objective: Mental health services are a neglected problem within primary care. Quality mental health service delivery at the primary level hinges on identifying and addressing related questions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the issues and solution proposals regarding service delivery based on the experiences of primary care workers in managing mental illnesses.

Methods: This research was conducted using the focus group interview method, which is one of many qualitative research techniques. The study sample consisted of 8 physicians and 9 healthcare workers providing primary healthcare (PHC) services in a city. The data collection process was carried out using a semi-structured interview form and a personal information form. The interviews were recorded and later transcribed. Subsequently, main themes and subthemes were identified through content analysis and a detailed content analysis was conducted based on these themes.

Results: Themes from interviews with PHC workers included education/training needs, service delivery barriers, and recommendations. The study revealed that PHC workers lack current knowledge on mental illnesses. There was fear of stigma regarding mental illness within the community. Workers experienced systemic issues such as heavy workloads, inadequate physical space, and inability to access data.

Conclusion: To reduce the treatment gap in primary mental health services and enhance access to high-quality mental health care, it would be beneficial to regularly update healthcare personnel training in mental health and increase public mental health literacy to prevent stigma and promote help-seeking behavior.

Cite this article as: Güden E, Borlu A, Yelen Akpinar Y, Olguner Eker Ö, Özsoy S, Baykan Z. A qualitative study on mental health services in primary care in Türkiye. Alpha Psychiatry. 2024;25(5):617-625.