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Current state of mental health and substance use in Toledo, Belize: A mixed methods study

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Publicat a:Cambridge Prisms : Global Mental Health vol. 12 (2025)
Autor principal: Kirsch, Jaclyn
Altres autors: Fabbri, Megan, Kerr, Kristen, Gomez, Lynette
Publicat:
Cambridge University Press
Matèries:
Pan American Health Organization
Belize
Central America
Trends
Clinics
Mental disorders
Drug use
Nurse practitioners
Primary care
Community
Rural areas
Mental health
Colonialism
Nonprofit organizations
Community based action research
Mental depression
Health status
Participatory research
Community mental health services
Research methodology
Anxiety
Alcohol use
Substance abuse
Suicidal ideation
Advocacy
Psychiatric services
Polls & surveys
Community-based programs
Qualitative research
Mental health services
Suicide
Mixed methods research
Scarcity
Community research
Policy implementation
Low income groups
Accés en línia:Citation/Abstract
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Resum:Mental health and substance use are increasingly pressing issues in communities across low-and-middle income countries, including Belize, particularly Toledo, the country’s most rural and resource-limited district. Using community-based participatory research methods, this preliminary mixed methods study (quantitative n = 163; qualitative n = 10) aims to (1) investigate mental health symptoms and substance use patterns in a non-randomized sample of individuals from southern Belize and (2) explore community perspectives on mental health among community stakeholders. Findings show high levels of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation among survey participants, which were supported by qualitative interviews. While low levels of substance use were reported by survey participants, qualitative findings diverged and showed alcohol use to be of significant concern among participants. Our study highlights the critical need for increased research, advocacy, and policy implementation regarding mental health and substance use in Toledo and across Belize. Given the scarcity of mental health resources in Toledo, findings underscore the urgent need for policy interventions that expand access to psychiatric services, integrate community-based mental health approaches, and address socioeconomic drivers of poor mental health outcomes.
ISSN:2054-4251
DOI:10.1017/gmh.2025.10007
Font:Social Science Database