Mental and Social Disorder in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of Sierra Leone, 1787-1990 Contributions in Afro-American and African Studies

One of the first English-language historical analyses of African psychiatry, this book discusses mental and social disorder in the west African country of Sierra Leone from the late 18th century to the present. Much of the study compares trends in mental health care in the colonial era with treatment in the period since 1961, when Sierra Leone gained independence.

Putting the historical evidence in a social context, Bell's analysis shows that the increasing number of institutionalized mental patients results from social problems rather than mental illness. Using unique primary sources, including the case records of patients and archival records, Bell traces the history of an African mental institution, using it as a case study.