Costing mental health care in Uganda. (360G-Wellcome-087392_Z_08_Z)

The goal of the research is to generate evidence on mental health financing in Wakiso District. Specific objectives are: 1. to gather information on policies for mental health care services in Uganda; 2. to study costing of mental health services both at the allopathic as well as at traditional healer sites; 3. to disseminate the results in Uganda and more widely. The study will take place at Entebbe Grade B Hospital and Gombe Hospital Mental Health Clinics and at two Traditional Healer's premises in the Wakiso area. The study population will be adults with mental disorders. The dependent variable will be costs of care for the current mental illness episode; independent variables will include socioeconomic status, knowledge and practices in relation to mental disorders and mental health services. The study will use a cross-sectional design and will have qualitative and quantitative components. Quantitative data analysis will include population characteristics, bivariate and multivariate analysis, and qualitative data analysis will use the grounded theory approach. Findings will be disseminated widely in Uganda and the region, through attendance at workshops and conferences and writing articles for peer reviewed journals