Culturally Adapted Psychoeducation (CaPE) for Bipolar Disorders in Nigeria

Summary

Bipolar disorders are chronic mental health disorders that often result in functional impairment, constituting a significant disease burden. It also accounts for seven per cent of disability-adjusted life years caused by mental disorders. Four out of ten persons with a probable diagnosis of bipolar disorders received no mental health care within the preceding twelve months. Compared to the general population, individuals with bipolar disorders tend to have a significantly higher rate of associated suicide mortality. Within the last decade, these mortality rates have substantially increased, suggesting the need for targeted research to address the unresolved needs of individuals suffering from bipolar disorders. A recent meta-analysis found that compared to the general population, bipolar patients had reduced life expectancy with about thirteen years of potential life loss.

Bipolar disorders are historically under-researched compared to other mental health disorders, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and Nigeria. Our recent study on bipolar disorders in Nigeria provided insight into contextual knowledge and beliefs about bipolar disorders, including the lived experiences of patients with bipolar disorders, their caregivers, and clinicians in Nigeria. The study recommended culturally adapted psychosocial intervention for bipolar patients, hence the proposed research.

Conditions

• Bipolar Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Culturally adapted Psychoeducation (CaPE)

This intervention consisted of 12 psychoeducation sessions, one session per week, that would be administered on an individual patient basis and to be added to treatment as usual. Each session lasted for approximately 1 h, beginning with a 20-30 min presentation on the topic of the day, followed by a related exercise (e.g., drawing a life chart or compiling a list of potential triggers for relapse). The content is a reduced and modified version of the Barcelona Psychoeducation Program for bipolar disorders.

DRUG

Treatment as Usual (TaU)

This group of patients will receive routine treatment, which in Nigeria means attending the outpatient clinic and taking prescribed medication.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Toronto

  collaborator OTHER

• Teesside University

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Manchester

  collaborator OTHER

• Nottingham Trent University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-08-01

Primary Completion

2024-06-30

Completion

2024-07-30