2026-10-14T07:34:26Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/34071147 2026-10-05T17:22:17Z category_21 category_24 category_64 category_132 category_133 portal_5 item_type_3 month_year_10_2026

<p>Themes and sub-themes.</p> Precious Makiyi (25316706) Rufaro Mushonga (23067841) Rebecca Jopling (20978236) Raymond Akawire Aborigo (10751293) Franklin Glozah (15918036) Kimberley Goldsmith (3472238) Benedict Weobong (680232) Dixon Chibanda (8807324) Melanie Abas (587132) James January (5907434) Moses Kumwenda (318591) Biotechnology Evolutionary Biology Cancer Infectious Diseases Plant Biology whilst empirical evidence slowly becoming available lay health workers include systemic interventions analysis forms part 15 &# 8211 specialized mental healthcare specialised mental healthcare using snowball techniques common mental disorders streamlined referral tools optimising access included catastrophic costs linked xlink "> unlike xlink "> diagnostic determine referral pathways zimbabwe </ p xlink "> healthcare providers psychiatric disorders analysed using referral trajectories referral process referral cards young people well defined treatment trajectory treatment trajectories traditional healers timely access thereby fostering social barriers several barriers sampled purposively resource settings mind consortium limited number larger formative iterative combination intersecting structural general population friendly services findings highlight faceted strategy delayed access deductive coding <div> <p>Background</p><p>Unlike in psychiatric disorders such as psychosis where treatment trajectories are well defined, little is known about pathways to care for depression which is increasingly prevalent among young people across the globe. Whilst empirical evidence is slowly becoming available on pathways to care for common mental disorders in the general population in Ghana and Zimbabwe, there is no study that specifically considered treatment pathways for young people.</p> <p>Objectives</p><p>This study explored trajectories used by young people (15–24 years) to access specialised mental healthcare in order to determine referral pathways for depression in Ghana and Zimbabwe.</p> <p>Methodology</p><p>This sub-analysis forms part of a larger formative, exploratory, descriptive qualitative study conducted within the Youth in Mind consortium. The study engaged 172 participants including young people, healthcare providers, policymakers, faith-based and traditional healers, lay health workers, and school staff across Ghana (N = 105) and Zimbabwe (N = 67) who were sampled purposively and using snowball techniques until saturation was reached. Data were analysed using an iterative combination of inductive and deductive coding, followed by thematic analysis.</p> <p>Results</p><p>Diagnostic and treatment trajectory for young people's access to specialized mental healthcare are complex in both Ghana and Zimbabwe and punctuated with several barriers that culminate in delayed access to treatments. Chief among the barriers facing young people are the catastrophic costs linked with accessing specialized mental health care, lack of autonomy of the youth, long waiting times perpetuated by a limited number of specialists and stigma. Opportunities for optimising access included the use of referral cards, which sped up the referral process, improved communication among referring agents, and establishment of youth corners in some hospitals in Zimbabwe to address concerns of privacy.</p> <p>Conclusion</p><p>The findings highlight that pathways to specialised mental healthcare in Ghana and Zimbabwe are inherently complex, hindered by intersecting structural, financial, and social barriers. To mitigate these challenges, a multi-faceted strategy is essential. This should include systemic interventions such as task-shifting, the implementation of streamlined referral tools, dedicated youth-friendly services, and concerted efforts to reduce stigma and costs, thereby fostering more equitable and timely access to care.</p></div> 2026-10-05T17:22:02Z Dataset Dataset 10.1371/journal.pone.0358255.t002 https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/_p_Themes_and_sub-themes_p_/34071147 CC BY 4.0