Staff Reporter
A University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) pilot study has found that direct cash support improved medication adherence and quality of life among unemployed young adults recently diagnosed with psychosis.
The research, funded by the Wellcome Trust and published in the International Journal of Mental Health, comes as South Africa continues to debate the introduction of a Basic Income Grant (BIG), also known in some countries as Universal Basic Income.
UKZN said the study adds evidence to the policy debate by showing that unconditional cash transfers can improve mental health outcomes among people facing the “triple burden” of vulnerability — youth, unemployment, and psychosis.
The pilot trial was conducted across public hospitals in KZN and involved 60 unemployed young adults aged between 18 and 29 who had recently been diagnosed with first episode psychosis, a severe mental health condition that often emerges in early adulthood.
Half of the participants continued receiving standard clinical care, while the other half received standard clinical care plus R1,350 a month for three months.
The study found that participants who received the cash support were more likely to adhere to their medication and reported a better quality of life than those who did not receive financial assistance.
Joyce Mlay, a UKZN PhD candidate and one of the researchers, said many young people with psychosis face serious socio economic barriers, including lack of money for transport, food insecurity and unemployment, all of which can make it harder to access care consistently.
Professor Andrew Tomita, the senior author from UKZN, said the results showed the importance of addressing poverty as part of mental health care.
“This research shows that when you reduce financial stress, you enable better health-seeking behaviour. Mental health recovery does not happen in isolation from social and economic conditions.”
The multidisciplinary research team included Mlay, Dr Lise Jamieson of the University of the Witwatersrand, Professor Thirusha Naidu of UKZN, Dr Busisiwe Bhengu of UKZN, Professor Saeeda Paruk of UKZN, Professor Bonginkosi Chiliza of UKZN, Professor Jonathan K. Burns of the University of Exeter and UKZN, Dr Richard Lessells of UKZN, and Tomita.
Although the trial was small and was not designed to conclusively measure long term clinical outcomes, the researchers said it provided important early evidence that addressing poverty could play a role in mental health recovery.
They said the findings suggest that relatively modest cash transfers could improve adherence to treatment and may help prevent hospital readmissions and reduce long term healthcare costs.
