Asian Journal of Social Sciences and Management Studies ISSN(E) : 2313-7401 ISSN(P) : 2518-0096 Vol. 4, No. 1, 65-69, 2017 http://www.asianonlinejournals.com/index.php/AJSSMS 65 Use of Mental Health Services in Primary Health Care Delivery Systems in a Developing Country: A Survey of Selected General Hospitals in Delta State Nigeria Bryan Oweilayefa Gere 1 1 Alabama A&M University, Normal, United States Abstract Studies on the use of mental health services in Nigeria are scarce. Most of the existing studies have focused on psychiatric illnesses. However the context for the assessment and treatment of many mental health disorders in developing countries including Nigeria is moving from mental hospitals to primary health care providers (PHC). This present study was conducted in Delta State Nigeria to assess the use and provision of mental health services in PHCs (General Hospitals). Two sets of questionnaires were used for the study; one set was given to health practitioners (15), while the other was given to 50 community respondents who were patients in these facilities. The results show that there is low utilization of mental health services in PHCs. In addition, patients do not have a positive attitude towards the use of formal mental health services and also lack an awareness of the availability of these services in PHC settings. Keywords: Mental health, Primary health care settings, General hospitals, Niger Delta, Nigeria, Developing countries. Contents 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................... 66 2. Statement of the Problem .................................................................................................................................................... 66 3. Methods ................................................................................................................................................................................ 66 4. Discussion ............................................................................................................................................................................. 68 5. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................................ 68 References ................................................................................................................................................................................ 69 Citation | Bryan Oweilayefa Gere (2017). Use of Mental Health Services in Primary Health Care Delivery Systems in a Developing Country: A Survey of Selected General Hospitals in Delta State Nigeria. Asian Journal of Social Sciences and Management Studies, 4(1): 65-69. DOI: 10.20448/journal.500/2017.4.1/500.1.65.69 ISSN(E) : 2313-7401 ISSN(P) : 2518-0096 Licensed: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License Funding: This study received no specific financial support. Competing Interests: The author declares that there are no conflicts of interests regarding the publication of this paper. Transparency: The author confirms that the manuscript is an honest, accurate, and transparent account of the study was reported; that no vital features of the study have been omitted; and that any discrepancies from the study as planned have been explained. History: Received: 19 April 2016/ Revised: 18 January 2017/ Accepted: 23 January 2017/ Published: 25 January 2017 Ethical: This study follows all ethical practices during writing. Publisher: Asian Online Journal Publishing Group