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Mental Health in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Situational Assessment and Policy Recommendations

Elzarka, Mohamed
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1554214413881192

Abstract Details

2019, MPH, University of Cincinnati, Medicine: Global Health.
Background: The war that plagued Bosnia and Herzegovina in the mid-1990s has had far reaching effects on mental health within the nation, and its aftereffects have further exacerbated the challenges to mental well-being faced by the country’s citizens. Although the initial post-war support for mental health was robust, resources and investments into mental healthcare infrastructure in the country have diminished, and access to mental healthcare services is significantly lower than the incidence of mental health conditions would necessitate. Objective: Identify and characterize the mental health challenges present in Bosnia and Herzegovina and propose policy recommendations that can address the root causes of these obstacles to strong mental health in the country. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted to perform a situational assessment of the major mental health challenges experienced in Bosnia and Herzegovina today and the current mental healthcare infrastructure that has been set up to deal with them. Results: Findings show that Bosnia’s key mental health challenges are rooted in larger challenges with post-war recovery, effective governance, sustaining a robust economy, educational integration, substance abuse, social inclusion for minority groups, and perceptions of mental health in civil society. These challenges are exacerbated by a healthcare system which has found some success in improving mental healthcare access and quality but which today is also overburdened, understaffed, and in need of serious streamlining. Ultimately, policy recommendations focusing on addressing these key challenges and shoring up infrastructure to better care for Bosnia’s mentally ill will be critical. Conclusions: Important policy recommendations to be considered for facilitating improved mental health in Bosnia must look to address the societal, political, economic, educational, and co-morbid medical issues in the country. Particular focus should be paid to stigma reduction, health education, educational integration, governmental and economic reform, and coalition building and the consolidation of resources between the public and non-profit sectors.
Aimin Chen, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Jun Ying, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
48 p.
Mental Health
mental health; post-traumatic stress; Bosnia and Herzegovina; post-conflict; policy; ethnoreligious

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Elzarka, M. (2019). Mental Health in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Situational Assessment and Policy Recommendations [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1554214413881192

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Elzarka, Mohamed. Mental Health in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Situational Assessment and Policy Recommendations. 2019. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1554214413881192.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Elzarka, Mohamed. "Mental Health in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Situational Assessment and Policy Recommendations." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1554214413881192

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1554214413881192
419
© 2019, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.