Cell Phones and Psychosis: A Pilot Study Connecting Traditional Healers and Bio-Medical Staff in Rural Tanzania

Due to cultural beliefs and lack of rural medical services, over 60% of Tanzanians seek mental care from widely accessible traditional healers who tend to treat the spiritual causes of psychosis – an easily recognizable and prevalent condition. Without integrated systems of care, biological symptoms of psychosis may go untreated and reach chronic stages, leading to severe, long-term disability. A mobile psychosis screening and consultation app for both traditional healers and medical practitioners will harness the power of the nation’s ubiquitous mobile devices to bridge treatment of psychosis between Tanzania’s rural traditional healers and urban medical practitioners -- improving diagnosis and management, increasing referrals and reducing stigma.