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Cooper, S. (2016). Research on Help-Seeking for Mental Illness in Africa: Dominant Approaches and Possible Alternatives. Transcultural Psychiatry. 1–23. DOI: 10.1177/1363461515622762.

Learning Objective: LO 16-1: Explain cultural definitions of health and illness.

Summary: Cooper argues that mental health treatment models need to better account for the beliefs and help-seeking behaviors of local peoples to more effectively offer mental health services for people living in Africa.

Questions to Consider:

1. What is the knowledge-belief-practice survey approach and how does it differ from the indigenous-knowledge-system approach?
2. According to Cooper, how may the knowledge-belief-practice survey approach to mental health create or result in barriers or challenges to improving the help-seeking behavior of local peoples?
3. What is the “explanatory models framework” and how does it affect help-seeking behaviors in various cultures? What are the implications of this framework for evaluating local conceptions of illness and solutions for improving health and healing?