Dr David Mothersill, Associate Professor in Psychology at NCI and Mr S. Benedict Dossen, Senior Country Representative at The Carter Center in Liberia, have been awarded a prestigious Irish Global Health Network Partnership Award. 

Dr Mothersill and the SAMI Lab have collaborated with Mr Dossen over the past four years examining public awareness and attitudes towards neurodiversity and mental health in Ireland and Liberia, with initial findings published in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene last year.

Discrimination against individuals based on neurodiversity and mental health can be a tremendous source of suffering and a barrier to accessing healthcare, but more research is needed to understand what factors influence discrimination and how attitudes differ across different countries. This research can inform Government policies that aim to increase awareness and reduce discrimination.

The Partnership Award will fund Mr Dossen to visit NCI later this year to meet with the SAMI Lab. The partnership aims to directly compare awareness and attitudes towards neurodiversity and mental health between Ireland and Liberia, expand this research to other African countries, and ultimately influence policy.

This research is made possible through funding from Irish Aid.