The aim is to provide a comprehensive assessment regarding the service provision and the accessibility to intensive mental health care in Rwanda for patients with bipolar disorder.
Knowing about the barriers to treatment, risk and protective factors as well as the current treatment offered for patients with bipolar disorder is essential for the development of therapeutic approaches and improvement in access to care. Up to now, no data on characteristics of patients with bipolar disorder in Rwanda and related risk and protective factors is available. For this purpose, all outpatients with bipolar disorder in Rwanda age \> 18 years, will over a 1-year period be invited to participate in a survey on their experience living with bipolar disorder in Rwanda. Moreover, patients and relatives will be invited for in-depth interviews to explore their perceptions and experiences with the mental health system. Health care providers will meet for focus discussions on to assess the experience, knowledge and practice of caregiving for individuals with bipolar disorder.
