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Ethical Issues In Mental Health

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Mental illness as a disease only came about towards the end of the 18th century and the term psychiatry was coined. (Potgieter, D. et al 1970). Psychology was first established as a formal academic discipline in South Africa (SA) during the 1920’s. (Burke, A. 2014) The concept of mental illness in SA raises many broad questions and debate. Mental health and illness has always been the poor cousin in the domain of medicine and particularly in SA. Although extensive research has been done, funding from government is inadequate for achieving a holistic understanding of mental health and policies to be implemented (Burke, A. 2014) in order to bridge the divide and integrate modern treatments with an historical ethnic practice.

Mental illness …show more content…
2014) The mental health practitioner would assert a superior advantage over a vulnerable patient and the practitioner should ensure that any testing, diagnosis, treatment and therapies outcomes not be one of negativity or disempowering to the client due to unethical practices. (Gillis, L. 2013) Despite research done and given the current mercurial, conflicting status of how to treat of mental health in SA misconduct regarding ethics could be done with ease and little repercussion. Key ethical testing practices that assessment practitioners should follow have been highlighted in the international guidelines for test use developed by the International Test Commission (ITC; 2001) which clearly state the outcomes of testing practices by practitioners who have the necessary competencies and a sound knowledge of psychometrics and testing. The challenge would be how to integrate this into cultural practices regarding treatment. A suggestion could be that further consideration should be given to adapting the test before it is used in another cultural group, developed by Hambleton (1994), who adapted the ITC test guidelines. Korman (1973) asserts that: The provision of professional services to persons of culturally diverse backgrounds by persons not competent in understanding and providing …show more content…
At present SA has a parallel health system which allows for three systems of health services to live alongside one another, which includes the “Western medical system,” the allied health services which includes alternative or complementary holistic and natural health approaches and African Traditional Healing (ATH). ATH is currently still in the process of becoming officially recognised by the government and public. (Lazarus, S. 2006), According to Petersen (2012) there is a growing recognition of the need to scale up treatment efforts for mental disorders in SA; a declaration on mental health that emerged from the first National Summit on Mental Health in SA held in April 2012. In July 2013 the NHC adopted the Mental Health Policy Framework for SA and the strategic 2013 – 2020 plan (as cited in the SAMJ Feb 2014, Vol.104, No.2). While there has been some progress in the decentralisation of mental health service in SA; provision and substantial gaps in service delivery remain. Intervention and research is needed to provide evidence of the organisational and human resource mix requirements, as well as cost-effectiveness of a culturally appropriate, task shifting and stepped care approach for severe and common mental disorders at primary healthcare level. (as cited in the SAMJ,

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