A particular bottleneck relates to the questionnaires used to diagnose mental illnesses. Because most of these were developed and validated by scientists in the West, they cannot be used to accurately diagnose conditions in African populations.
Yet the causes are poorly understood in African settings, leading to stigmatization and misdiagnosis. I've seen how this can wreck lives.
This work is essential because there has been little research into genetics and depression outside populations of European descent. Unique mutations in other groups are being missed.
With an estimated 116 million people in Africa living with mental illness, the need for adequate research and representation in mental health is urgent.
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