Cooperation in mental health: an Italian project in Nicaragua.
The experience acquired over the last four years in developing a program of cooperation in mental health in Nicaragua is reported. The concept of 'transfer' underlying the intervention and the general framework of Nicaragua's mental health system is discussed together with the results of the cooperative work. This included organizing training for mental health workers in six teaching and supervision modules, drawing up a mental health manual for primary health care workers, and survey of patterns of care in the 15 existing psychiatric services. Besides the key aspects of general reform of the psychiatric system after the revolution, the paper focuses on differences between organization and patterns of care in urban and rural areas.
Saraceno
B
B
Unità di Psichiatria, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milano, Italia.
Briceno
R A
RA
Asioli
F
F
Liberati
A
A
Tognoni
G
G
D000328:Adult; D006281:Health Occupations / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D007558:Italy; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D009527:Nicaragua; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation