Perceptions of Mental Illness among Urban and Rural Eritreans

Relatively little is known about how Africans understand the problem of mental illness and virtually nothing about the perceptions of mental illness among Eritreans in particular. In this study, Eritrean views of mental illness were examined. Two vignettes, depicting a schizophrenic and a depressed person were used. Following the presentation of the vignettes, a questionnaire derived from the work of Bogardus (1925) and Edgerton (1966) was administered to the respondents to assess their views on perceptions, symptoms, etiology, treatment, prognosis of and social distance from mental illness. This instrument was administered to 40 male and 40 female Eritreans from urban and rural social backgrounds.