Thesis (MCur (Nursing Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research study aims at enhancing the utilisation of primary mental health care services in Dodoma, Tanzania. Primary health care (PHC) according to the Alma Ata conference 1948 is an essential part of the health care system for bringing health care closer to where people live and work, is people-centred, affordable and achieves better health outcomes, and is considered to contribute to communities’ social and economical development. PHC facilities in Tanzania are health centres and dispensaries, which are within five kilometres from where people live. In the 1980s’ countries integrated mental health into PHC to improve the mental health status of their people. To facilitate delivery of Primary Mental Health Care (PMHC), Tanzania has formulated a mental health policy and trained PHC workers on mental health. Despite of these efforts, people still go to referral hospitals for mental health care services. However, authors commented that “when comprehensive primary health is implemented fully” it will bring about security, safety and hope to people and therefore, they will continue to fend for health for all. The main aim was to explore and describe why people go to referral hospitals instead of utilising PMHC services closer to them. A qualitative descriptive clinical ethnographic research design was employed to examine the mental health care-giving within the context of this research. Purposive non-probability sampling was utilised. Sample size was determined by the saturation. Data collection methods were in two phases. Phase one was participative observation on mental health care-giving in the Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities for a period of at least four weeks, and phase two was by use of an in-depth interview with family members at referral hospitals who had passed Primary Health Care facilities. Data analysis was an open thematic coding. Trustworthiness of the research was established through credibility, dependability, conformability, triangulation and a thick description. The findings of this research suggested that there is inadequate service delivery at PHC facilities, disrespect of patients and lack of knowledge on available services and on referral systems, which led to not utilising the available Primary Mental Health Care services. In conclusion the researcher expresses the recommendations of this research in the form of strategies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsing is daarop gemik om die gebruik van primêre geestesgesondheidsorg dienste in Dodoma, Tanzanië te bevorder. Volgens die Alma Ata verklaring van 1948 is primêre gesondheid sorg (PGS) ʼn noodsaaklike deel van die gesondheidsorg stelsel ten einde gesondheidsorg nader na mense werkplek en tuistes te neem. PGS is persoons-gesentreerd, bekostigbaar en het beter gesondheids resultate, dit word aanvaar dat PGS bydra tot die sosiale en ekonomoiese ontwikkeling van gemeenskappe. PGS fasiliteite in Tanzanië is hoofsaaklik gesondheidsentra en apteke, wat binne ʼn radius van vyf kilometere vanaf mense se woninigs is. Gedurende die 1980’s het lande geestesgesondheid integreer in die PGS stelsel in ’n poging om die geestesgesondheidstatus van mense te verbeter. Ten einde die lewering van primêre geestesgesondheid sorg (PGGS) te verbeter het Tanzanië ʼn geestesgesondheidsbeleid geformuleer en primêre gesondheidsorg werkers opgelei in geestesgesondheidsorg. As omvattende primêre gesondheidsorg ten volle implementeer is sal dit bydra tot sekuriteit, veiligheid en hoop en mense sal aanhou veg vir ”gesondheid vir almal”. Die hoofdoel van hierdie navorsingstudie was ʼn ondersoek en beskrywing ten opsigte van die redes waarom mense eerder verwysings hospitale as PGS fasiliteite nader aan hulle besoek. Die navorser het gebruik gemaak van ʼn kwalitatiewe, beskrywende kliniese etnografiese studie ten einde geestesgesondheidsorglewering te ondersoek binne die konteks van hierdie studie. Die navorser het doelgerigte nie-waarskynlikheids steekproefneming gebruik en die versadigingsvlak is bereik deur middel van data-saturasie. Data is tydens twee fases ingesamel. Fase een was gekenmerk deur deelnemende observasie ten opsigte van geestesgesondheidsorg lewering in ʼn PGS fassiliteite. Tydens fase twee het die navorser in-diepte onderhoude gevoer met famililede van die persoon wat eerder die verwysings hospitaal as PGS fasiliteit besoek het. Data analise is gedoen deur tematiese, kwalitatiewe kodering te gebruik. Betroubaarheid van die navorsing is verkry deur middel van vertrouenswaardigheid, eerbaarheid, triangulasie en in-diepte beskrywing. Die bevindings van hierdie navorsings studie suggereer die teenwoordigheid van ondoeltreffende diens lewering by PGS fasiliteite, onrespekvolle hantering van pasiënte en gebrekkige kennis rondom die beskikbare dienste en verwyssings stelsel in plek, derhalwe maak pasiënte eerder gebruik van die verwysings hospitale. Gevolglik beveel die navorser aan dat strategieë gebasseer op die resultate van hierdie navorsings geïmplementeer word.