Table 3 Perceived causes of mental illness
From: Attitudes towards mental illness in Malawi: a cross-sectional survey
Causes of mental illness | Percentage (number) holding belief | Percentage (number) not holding belief |
|---|---|---|
Drug or Alcohol misuse causes mental illness | 95.7 (201) | 4.3 (9) |
Possession by evil spirits causes mental illness | 82.8 (174) | 17.1 (36) |
Traumatic events or shock cause mental illness | 76.1 (160) | 23.8 (50) |
Genetic/familial causes mental illness | 47.6 (100) | 52.4 (110) |
God’s punishment causes mental illness | 21.9 (46) | 77.6 (163) |
Brain Disease causes mental illness | 92.8 (195) | 7.1 (15) |
Biological factors other than brain disease or genetic inheritance cause mental illness | 32.8 (69) | 67.1 (141) |
Poverty causes mental illness | 43.3 | 56.7 |