Maya Semrau, Petra C Gronholm, Julian Eaton, Pallab K Maulik, Bethel Ayele, Ioannis Bakolis, Gurucharan Bhaskar Mendon, Kalpana Bhattarai, Elaine Brohan, Anish V Cherian, Mercian Daniel, Eshetu Girma, Dristy Gurung, Ariam Hailemariam, Charlotte Hanlon, Andy Healey, Sudha Kallakuri, Jie Li, Santosh Loganathan, Ning Ma, Yurong Ma, Amani Metsahel, Uta Ouali, Nahel Yaziji, Yosra Zgueb, Wufang Zhang, Xiaotong Zhang, Graham Thornicroft, Nicole Votruba
{"title":"Reducing stigma and improving access to care for people with mental health conditions in the community: protocol for a multi-site feasibility intervention study (Indigo-Local).","authors":"Maya Semrau, Petra C Gronholm, Julian Eaton, Pallab K Maulik, Bethel Ayele, Ioannis Bakolis, Gurucharan Bhaskar Mendon, Kalpana Bhattarai, Elaine Brohan, Anish V Cherian, Mercian Daniel, Eshetu Girma, Dristy Gurung, Ariam Hailemariam, Charlotte Hanlon, Andy Healey, Sudha Kallakuri, Jie Li, Santosh Loganathan, Ning Ma, Yurong Ma, Amani Metsahel, Uta Ouali, Nahel Yaziji, Yosra Zgueb, Wufang Zhang, Xiaotong Zhang, Graham Thornicroft, Nicole Votruba","doi":"10.1186/s13033-024-00649-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-024-00649-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Stigma and discrimination towards people with mental health conditions by their communities are common worldwide. This can result in a range of negative outcomes for affected persons, including poor access to health care. However, evidence is still patchy from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) on affordable, community-based interventions to reduce mental health-related stigma and to improve access to mental health care.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study aims to conduct a feasibility (proof-of-principle) pilot study that involves developing, implementing and evaluating a community-based, multi-component, awareness-raising intervention (titled Indigo-Local), designed to reduce stigma and discrimination and to increase referrals of people with mental health conditions for assessment and treatment. It is being piloted in seven sites in five LMICs-China, Ethiopia, India, Nepal and Tunisia-and includes several key components: a stakeholder group workshop; a stepped training programme (using a 'Training of Trainers' approach) of community health workers (or similar cadres of workers) and service users that includes repeated supervision and booster sessions; community engagement activities; and a media campaign. Social contact and service user involvement are instrumental to all components. The intervention is being evaluated through a mixed-methods pre-post study design that involves quantitative assessment of stigma outcomes measuring knowledge, attitudes and (discriminatory) behaviour; quantitative evaluation of mental health service utilization rates (optional, where feasible in sites); qualitative exploration of the potential effectiveness and impact of the Indigo-Local intervention; a process evaluation; implementation evaluation; and an evaluation of implementation costs.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The output of this study will be a contextually adapted, evidence-based intervention to reduce mental health-related stigma in local communities in five LMICs to achieve improved access to healthcare. We will have replicable models of how to involve people with lived experience as an integral part of the intervention and will produce knowledge of how intervention content and implementation strategies vary across settings. The intervention and its delivery will be refined to be feasible and ready for larger-scale implementation and evaluation. This study thereby has the potential to make an important contribution to the evidence base on what works to reduce mental health-related stigma and discrimination and improve access to health care.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":"18 1","pages":"35"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11575452/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142669408","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bilal Noreen Khan, Rebecca H Liu, Cherry Chu, Blanca Bolea-Alamañac, Megan Nguyen, Serena Thapar, Roz Fanaieyan, Marisa Leon-Carlyle, Mina Tadrous, Paul Kurdyak, Anne O'Riordan, Maggie Keresteci, Onil Bhattacharyya
{"title":"Reach, uptake, and psychological outcomes of two publicly funded internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy programs in Ontario, Canada: an observational study.","authors":"Bilal Noreen Khan, Rebecca H Liu, Cherry Chu, Blanca Bolea-Alamañac, Megan Nguyen, Serena Thapar, Roz Fanaieyan, Marisa Leon-Carlyle, Mina Tadrous, Paul Kurdyak, Anne O'Riordan, Maggie Keresteci, Onil Bhattacharyya","doi":"10.1186/s13033-024-00651-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-024-00651-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Access to traditional mental health services in Canada remains limited, prompting exploration into digital alternatives. The Government of Ontario initiated access to two internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) programs, LifeWorks AbilitiCBT and MindBeacon TAiCBT, for adults with mental health issues.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An uncontrolled observational study utilizing secondary retrospective program data was conducted to evaluate the reach, uptake, and psychological symptom changes among participants engaging with either iCBT program.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Between May 2020 and September 2021, 56,769 individuals enrolled in LifeWorks AbilitiCBT, and 73,356 in MindBeacon TAiCBT. However, substantial exclusions were made: 56% of LifeWorks participants and 68% of MindBeacon participants were ineligible or failed to initiate treatment. Consequently, 25,154 LifeWorks participants and 23,795 MindBeacon participants were included in the analysis. Of these, 22% of LifeWorks and 26% of MindBeacon participants completed over 75% of iCBT treatment. On average, LifeWorks participants received 13 ± SD 7.1 therapist messages and sent 5 ± SD 10.3 messages, while MindBeacon participants received 25 ± SD 20.7 therapist messages and sent 13 ± SD 16.4 messages. LifeWorks included synchronous therapist contact averaging 1.4 ± SD 1.9 h per participant, while MindBeacon was purely asynchronous. Baseline severity of anxiety (37%) and depression symptoms (22%) was higher for LifeWorks participants compared to MindBeacon participants (24% and 10%, respectively). Clinically significant changes in anxiety and depression scores were observed: 22% of LifeWorks and 31% of MindBeacon participants exhibited reliable recovery in PHQ-9 scores, while 26% of LifeWorks and 25% of MindBeacon participants demonstrated reliable recovery in GAD-7 scores.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In conclusion, iCBT programs show promise for engaged participants with varying levels of severity in anxiety and depression symptoms. Future iterations of iCBT should consider adopting a broad entry criterion to iCBT programming to increase accessibility, especially for those with severe symptoms, alongside integrated intake care pathways, and potential payment structure adjustments for iCBT service providers. Taken all together, these factors could temper high dropout rates post-intake assessment. This evaluation underscores the potential and value of digital mental health interventions for individuals with mild to severe anxiety or depression symptoms, emphasizing the importance of addressing participant dropout.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":"18 1","pages":"34"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11546333/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142606818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lia Parente, Fulvio Carabellese, Alan Felthous, Donatella La Tegola, Mary Davoren, Harry G Kennedy, Felice F Carabellese
{"title":"Italian Evaluation and Excellence in REMS (ITAL-EE-REMS): appropriate placement of forensic patients in REMS forensic facilities.","authors":"Lia Parente, Fulvio Carabellese, Alan Felthous, Donatella La Tegola, Mary Davoren, Harry G Kennedy, Felice F Carabellese","doi":"10.1186/s13033-024-00647-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-024-00647-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>We set out to assess the appropriateness of current placement of mentally disordered offenders allocated by the courts in Italy to REMS or to forensic community residences. We hypothesised that as in other countries, the match between a standardised assessment and the decision of the court would be imperfect.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The DUNDRUM Toolkit was translated into Italian. The translation had good psychometric properties. In order to compare the current level of therapeutic security with a calculated safest current placement, we compared the DUNDRUM-1 triage security assessment of need for therapeutic security prior to treatment, with evidence for progress made in treatment (DUNDRUM-3) and forensic recovery (DUNDRUM-4). The more conservative of these two would be taken as the safe current level of need for therapeutic security.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The Italian translation of the DUNDRUM Toolkit had good internal consistency and mean scores had a Reliable Change Index less than one unit. 3.7% of those in REMS (medium security) were assessed as needing high security and 38% were ready to move to a less secure place. In low secure places, 56% were assessed as needing a higher level of therapeutic security and 6% could have moved to open non-secure places.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The Italian translation of the DUNDRUM Toolkit allows an assessment of the current working of the model of care for forensic psychiatry following the reforms of 2015. Most patients are safely placed. A small but important proportion needed high secure places that are not currently available. (3.7% of 604 nationally, 95% Confidence Interval 1.2% to 8.4%, 7 to 50). A greater use of such measures would enable better health gains and safer outcomes. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06018298 Unique Protocol ID: ITAL-EE-REMS.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":"18 1","pages":"33"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11531105/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142564579","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Komal Dayani, Mekaiel Zia, Onaiza Qureshi, Maria Baig, Taha Sabri
{"title":"Evaluating Pakistan's mental healthcare system using World Health Organization's assessment instrument for mental health system (WHO-AIMS).","authors":"Komal Dayani, Mekaiel Zia, Onaiza Qureshi, Maria Baig, Taha Sabri","doi":"10.1186/s13033-024-00646-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-024-00646-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pakistan faces profound mental health challenges, which necessitate the urgent need for a comprehensive assessment of its mental healthcare system. A holistic understanding of the mental health landscape is essential to identify strengths, weaknesses, and existing gaps within the system, which can inform targeted interventions and policy enhancements to improve mental healthcare accessibility.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The primary objective of this desk research is to conduct an in-depth analysis of Pakistan's mental healthcare system across various dimensions, guided by the World Health Organization's Assessment Tool for Mental Health Systems (WHO-AIMS).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data for this desk research and scoping was obtained through desk research, including an examination of existing policies and legislation and consultations with various health facilities across Pakistan. This comprehensive analysis focused on six critical domains within the WHO-AIMS framework: policy and legislation, mental health services, integration of mental health into primary care, public awareness and collaboration with other sectors, human resources, and monitoring and research initiatives.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The findings provides a snapshot of strength and opportunities for improvement in Pakistan's mental healthcare system that can serve as the foundation for revising and updating national priorities. Key areas of focus include enhancing policy and legislation, expanding access to mental health services, improving existing initiatives for better integration of mental health into primary care, improving public awareness and sector collaboration, addressing human resource challenges, and strengthening monitoring and research initiatives.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This desk research provides a roadmap for refining and enhancing Pakistan's mental health ecosystem and informs the prioritization of mental health campaigning efforts.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":"18 1","pages":"32"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11515678/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142510429","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alastair Ager, Sabrina Hermosilla, Alison Schafer, Dévora Kestel
{"title":"A process study of early achievements and challenges in countries engaged with the WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health.","authors":"Alastair Ager, Sabrina Hermosilla, Alison Schafer, Dévora Kestel","doi":"10.1186/s13033-024-00652-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-024-00652-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>There is increasing awareness of the importance of the transformation of mental health systems. Launched in 2019, the WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health seeks to accelerate access to quality and affordable care for mental health conditions as an integral component of Universal Health Coverage. Nine countries are currently engaged with the initiative.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study reviewed processes of implementation-and progress achieved-across all settings by late 2022. It involved review of 158 documents provided by WHO relating to Special Initiative activities and 42 interviews with country-level stakeholders, WHO Regional and HQ personnel engaged with the initiative, and core donors. Documents were thematically coded using a template based upon the WHO framework of health system building blocks. Responses to structured interviews were coded based on an emergent thematic framework.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Documentation reported similar achievements across all domains; however challenges were reported most frequently in relation to service delivery, leadership and governance, and workforce. Issues of financing were notable in being twice as likely to be reported as a challenge than a success. Interviews indicated four major areas of perceived achievement: establishing a platform and profile to address mental health issues; convening a multi-stakeholder, participatory engagement process; new, appropriate services being developed; and key developments in law, policy, or governance around mental health. The planning process followed for the initiative, senior country-level buy-in and the quality of key personnel were the factors considered most influential in driving progress. Ambivalent political commitment and competing priorities were the most frequently cited challenges across all interviewees.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The role of the Special Initiative in raising the profile of mental health on national agendas through a participatory and inclusive process has been widely valued, and there are indications of the beginnings of transformational shifts in mental health services. To secure these benefits, findings suggest three strategic priorities: increasing political prioritisation and funding for systems-level change; clearly articulating sustainable, transformed models of care; and promoting feasible and contextualised measures to support accountability and course correction. All are of potential relevance in informing global strategies for mental health systems transformation in other settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":"18 1","pages":"31"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11492481/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142477772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S Mahasampath Gowri, Antonisamy Belavendra, Senthil K Vasan, S Keerthi, Sven Andreasson
{"title":"Prevalence and long-term change in alcohol consumption: results from a population-based cohort in Southern India.","authors":"S Mahasampath Gowri, Antonisamy Belavendra, Senthil K Vasan, S Keerthi, Sven Andreasson","doi":"10.1186/s13033-024-00650-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-024-00650-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Alcohol consumption in India is below the global average, with limited data on long-term effects. The current study aims to examine changes over time among alcohol consumers, the pattern of drinking and help-seeking for alcohol problems among South Indian men.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Data on the intake of various alcohol types were collected through standard questionnaires in two adult follow-ups [Baseline: 1998-2002, Follow-up: 2016-2019] from male participants in the Vellore birth cohort (VBC). Alcohol intake was converted to weekly standard drink units for analysis. Data on drinking patterns using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) and information on help-seeking among problem drinkers were collected during follow-up. Socio-demographic associations with alcohol consumption were determined using logistic regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The prevalence of alcohol consumption was 54.5% and 47.7% at the baseline and follow-up, respectively. Over two decades, 12% of men reported to have newly started drinking and 18% quit drinking. Lower education and lower socio-economic status (SES) were the strongest predictors of alcohol consumption. The AUDIT assessment among drinkers reported hazardous drinking of 38.4%, harmful drinking of 4.7% and 3.7% probable alcohol dependence. Among the persons with high AUDIT scores, 25% were concerned about high consumption, and 9% sought help to stop their alcohol consumption.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our results showed a decline in alcohol consumption in this cohort over two decades. Among drinkers, a high proportion report hazardous and harmful consumption. Low levels of education and SES are significant predictors of alcohol consumption. A low proportion of help-seeking reflects alcohol-related stigma in the community.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":"18 1","pages":"30"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11465489/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142401525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of informal employment on individuals’ psychological well-being: microevidence from China","authors":"Deshui Zhou, Qingqing Zhang, Jingshan Li","doi":"10.1186/s13033-024-00648-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-024-00648-4","url":null,"abstract":"The number of workers engaged in informal employment in China has reached 200 million individuals, constituting a substantial contribution to the pursuit of high-quality development and the attainment of stable employment objectives. Nevertheless, the psychological well-being of informal workers cannot be overlooked. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact of informal employment on individuals’ psychological well-being. Drawing on data from the 2020 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) survey, this work employs ordinary least squares (OLS) models and instrumental variable analysis to empirically examine the impact of informal employment on the psychological well-being. Furthermore, different tests were utilised to analyse the mediating pathway through which informal employment affects the psychological well-being. Informal employment exhibits a significant negative impact on the psychological well-being, particularly among samples characterised by low educational levels, limited financial resources, and non-agricultural household registration. The exploration of the underlying mechanisms indicates that informal employment negatively affects the psychological well-being of workers through pathways that include reduced access to health entitlements, increased working hours, and decreased job satisfaction, particularly with the work environment. A recommendation is proposed; namely, to further establish a social security system that caters to the needs of the informal employment population and supports and regulates the development of flexible employment forms, with the aim of protecting and enhancing the psychological well-being of the informal employment population.","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142269723","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nicholas Powell, Hazel Dalton, Joanne Lawrence-Bourne, David Perkins
{"title":"Co-creating community wellbeing initiatives: what is the evidence and how do they work?","authors":"Nicholas Powell, Hazel Dalton, Joanne Lawrence-Bourne, David Perkins","doi":"10.1186/s13033-024-00645-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-024-00645-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Addressing wellbeing at the community level, using a public health approach may build wellbeing and protective factors for all. A collaborative, community-owned approach can bring together experience, networks, local knowledge, and other resources to form a locally-driven, place-based initiative that can address complex issues effectively. Research on community empowerment, coalition functioning, health interventions and the use of local data provide evidence about what can be achieved in communities. There is less understanding about how communities can collaborate to bring about change, especially for mental health and wellbeing.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A comprehensive literature search was undertaken to identify community wellbeing initiatives that address mental health. After screening 8,972 titles, 745 abstracts and 188 full-texts, 12 exemplar initiatives were identified (39 related papers).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Eight key principles allowed these initiatives to become established and operate successfully. These principles related to implementation and outcome lessons that allowed these initiatives to contribute to the goal of increasing community mental health and wellbeing. A framework for community wellbeing initiatives addressing principles, development, implementation and sustainability was derived from this analysis, with processes mapped therein.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This framework provides evidence for communities seeking to address community wellbeing and avoid the pitfalls experienced by many well-meaning but short-lived initiatives.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":"18 1","pages":"28"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11299278/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141894549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Beatrice Mkubwa, Vibian Angwenyi, Brenda Nzioka, Charles R Newton, Marit Sijbrandij, Amina Abubakar
{"title":"Knowledge, attitudes, and practices on child and adolescent mental health among healthcare workers in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review.","authors":"Beatrice Mkubwa, Vibian Angwenyi, Brenda Nzioka, Charles R Newton, Marit Sijbrandij, Amina Abubakar","doi":"10.1186/s13033-024-00644-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-024-00644-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Child and adolescent mental health is a global priority. In sub-Saharan Africa, despite the high burden, there is a gap in health services for children and adolescents with mental health disorders. To bridge this gap, healthcare workers require a good understanding of child and adolescent mental health, the right attitude, and practices geared to improving child and adolescent mental health. This scoping review examined the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to child and adolescent mental health among sub-Saharan African healthcare workers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The search was restricted between January 2010, the year when the Mental Health Gap Action Programme guidelines were launched, and April 2024. The review followed the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley for conducting scoping reviews. The databases searched included CINHAL, PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and grey literature databases. Additional articles were identified through cited references of the studies included. A data extraction template was used to retrieve relevant text. A narrative synthesis approach was adopted to explore the relationships within and between the included studies.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The literature search yielded 4658 studies. Among these, 817 were identified as duplicates, and 3740 were excluded after screening. Only twenty-one articles met the criteria for inclusion in the review. The findings showed that healthcare workers have insufficient knowledge of child and adolescent mental health, hold negative attitudes toward children and adolescents with mental health problems, and exhibit poor practices related to child and adolescent mental health.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>It is crucial to build capacity and improve healthcare workers' practices, knowledge, and attitudes toward child and adolescent mental health in sub-Saharan Africa. This could lead to better access to mental health services for children and adolescents in the region.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":"18 1","pages":"27"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11253363/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141628031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Byamah B Mutamba, Gad Twikirize, Jimmy Ssemalulu, Roseline Babirye, Lynn Semakula, David Cappo
{"title":"Diagnostic pattern of mental, neurological and substance use disorders at primary health care facilities in Uganda.","authors":"Byamah B Mutamba, Gad Twikirize, Jimmy Ssemalulu, Roseline Babirye, Lynn Semakula, David Cappo","doi":"10.1186/s13033-024-00643-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-024-00643-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Integration of diagnosis and treatment for mental, neurological, and substance use (MNS) disorders into primary health care is a recommended strategy to improve access to services in low-and middle-income countries. Despite numerous initiatives for integration of mental health care in Uganda, there has not been an evaluation of health management information system (HMIS) records to determine whether MNS disorders are routinely diagnosed. We sought to determine diagnostic pattern of MNS disorders at primary health facilities in Wakiso and Kampala districts, the most populous regions of Uganda. Lower-level primary health facilities were visited to obtain records from HMIS registers, to document diagnoses of MNS disorders. Secondary data analysis was conducted and descriptive statistics reported. A total of 40 primary health care facilities were visited representing 58.6% of the health facilities in the study districts. More than half (54.8%) and almost all (87.5%) of the lower-level health facilities in Wakiso district and Kampala district respectively were visited. The proportion of MNS disorders diagnosed at lower-level primary health facilities in Uganda is very low with Epilepsy the most common MNS diagnosis recorded. Reasons for such low numbers of diagnoses at primary health facilities are discussed as are possible solutions.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":"18 1","pages":"26"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11247730/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141621222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}