Religious Beliefs, Spiritual Practices, and Mental Health Help-Seeking Behavior among Adults in Uganda: Examining Barriers and Facilitators to Professional Mental Healthcare Utilization

Abstract

Mental health disorders represent a significant public health challenge in Uganda, where access to professional mental healthcare remains constrained by limited resources, inadequate mental health literacy, and persistent stigma. Religion plays a central role in Ugandan society and substantially influences health beliefs, coping strategies, and healthcare-seeking behaviours. However, the relationship between religious beliefs, spiritual practices, and professional mental health help-seeking remains underexplored. This study examined how religious beliefs and spiritual practices shape attitudes toward professional mental health help-seeking among individuals in Uganda and identified the religious, social, and structural factors that function as barriers and facilitators to mental healthcare utilisation. The study employed a qualitative secondary data review design within an interpretivist paradigm. A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed and grey literature published between 2000 and 2025 was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Google Scholar, African Journals Online, and relevant policy repositories. Data were synthesised thematically following the principles of qualitative evidence synthesis and guided by the Network-Episode Model of help-seeking behaviour. The review identified five interrelated themes: religious interpretations of mental illness; faith-based coping and pathways to care; stigma and social norms within religious communities; the role of religious leaders as gatekeepers and referral agents; and opportunities for collaboration between faith-based organisations and formal mental health services. Findings indicate that religious beliefs function as both barriers and facilitators to professional help-seeking. Spiritual explanations of mental illness, including beliefs in witchcraft, demonic possession, and divine punishment, may delay access to professional care. Conversely, faith communities provide emotional support, strengthen resilience, reduce social isolation, and facilitate referrals when religious leaders possess adequate mental health literacy. The study concludes that faith-sensitive mental health interventions and stronger partnerships between mental health providers and religious institutions are essential for reducing stigma, improving mental health literacy, and enhancing access to professional mental healthcare.