Exploring the cultural understanding of mental illness: A study in the Ovaherero community, Opuwo urban area, Namibia

This study aimed to identify and analyze the cultural understandings of mental illness, specifically its perceived symptoms, causes, and treatments, within the Ovaherero community in Opuwo, Kunene Region, Namibia. Grounded in a constructivist paradigm, the research employed a qualitative ethnographic design to explore participants’ culturally embedded perceptions. Fifteen adult Ovaherero-speaking participants aged 18 years and older were recruited through convenience and homogeneous sampling techniques to ensure cultural relevance. Data were generated using a socio-demographic questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed through thematic analysis, with Arthur Kleinman’s explanatory model serving as the theoretical lens. The findings revealed that mental illness is perceived as an affliction interwoven with spiritual, moral, and social dimensions, often attributed to causes such as witchcraft, ancestral displeasure, and moral transgressions. Aggression, disorientation, and neglect of personal hygiene emerged as common indicators of mental illness. Perceptions also varied by age and gender, with males aged 25 to 40 seen as particularly vulnerable. Overall, the results highlight the need for culturally sensitive mental health interventions that integrate local explanatory models with biomedical approaches to better address the multifaceted nature of mental illness within the Ovaherero community

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Namibia

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Maundu. Rijama Thessa

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Gentz, Shelene

• Mental illness
• Ovaherero community
• Cultural beliefs
• Thematic analysis
• Kleinman’s explanatory model
• Namibia
• University of Namibia

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11070/4217

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.unam.edu.na:11070/4217