Int J Soc Psychiatry. 1989 Winter; 35(4): 324-8.

Rural population's opinions about the causes of mental illness, modern psychiatric help-sources and traditional healers in Turkey.

Eskin M.

Institute of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway.

Ninety six males and ninety six females from a Turkish village have been questioned regarding their opinions about the causes of mental illness, psychiatric help-sources and traditional healers. Psychological, social and medical responses prevailed among the sample studied. Males gave more social whereas females tended to give more psychological responses. Psychiatrists were ranked as most helpful, mental hospitals as second most helpful and traditional healers were ranked as least helpful in treating mental illness.