Collaborative care for mental health in South Africa: a qualitative systematic review

Abstract

Collaborative care for mental health is a strategy that restructures the roles of health care providers, and sectors outside of health care provision, to encourage a team-based approach in dealing with mental illness. Previous research proposed a collaborative care strategy to make mental health care more accessible and culturally appropriate. This study systematically reviewed the available literature to produce a summary of collaborative care in the context of mental health care in South Africa. More specifically, the aims were to document existing efforts towards collaboration and highlight barriers and challenges associated with collaborative care in mental health care in South Africa. This review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. South African studies published in English between 2002 and October 2021 were considered for inclusion. Twenty-five studies with heterogeneous study designs were included in this review and analysed using a thematic synthesis approach. Collaborative care models hold promise for closing the mental health treatment gap and providing culturally appropriate mental health care in South Africa. However, despite progress made, several challenges remain in the implementation of collaborative policies. Four main strategies were identified to improve the implementation of collaborative care models in South Africa. These included (1) redirecting resources and improving infrastructure, (2) formalising roles and relationships and improving leadership, (3) improving communication and supervisory structures, and (4) improving training and education. This review offers valuable recommendations for South African mental health care policy that might also be useful for other resource-constrained countries.

Mental health is just an Addendum: Assessing stakeholder’s perceptions on COVID-19 and mental health services provision in Malawi

“…A 2021 scoping review of the role of public private partnerships in the provision of primary care services found that PPPs have the potential to increase access and to facilitate the provision of prevention and treatment services for certain target groups [ 29 ]. Moreover, collaborative efforts between governments, non-profit organizations, and international partners have also proven to be effective in addressing mental health service gaps through community-based interventions, training programs for health workers, and the integration of mental health into primary healthcare services in countries like Uganda [ 30 ], South Africa [ 31 ] and Kenya [ 32 ].…”

Community-Based Mental Health Interventions in Africa: A Review and Its Implications for U.S. Healthcare Practices

“…The evolution of mental health care models in Africa has been characterized by a shift towards more collaborative and integrated approaches. Truter (2023) provides a comprehensive review of collaborative care for mental health in South Africa, emphasizing the restructuring of roles among healthcare providers and sectors outside of healthcare provision. This strategy aims to make mental health care more accessible and culturally appropriate.…”

“…Community-based approaches in African contexts have increasingly focused on integrating mental health care into existing social and cultural frameworks. Truter's (2023) review of collaborative care in South Africa underscores the importance of community engagement in mental health care. The study highlights the need for improved infrastructure, formalized roles and relationships, enhanced communication, and better training and education to support collaborative care models.…”

“…The evolution of mental health care models in Africa and the adoption of community-based approaches are marked by a shift towards more collaborative, integrated, and culturally sensitive practices. These approaches, as evidenced in the studies by Truter (2023), Wright (2021), Sorsdahl et al (2021, and Puffer and Ayuku (2022), highlight the importance of adapting mental health interventions to the specific cultural and social contexts of African communities. This evolution reflects a growing recognition of the need for mental health care systems that are accessible, effective, and culturally appropriate, addressing the unique challenges and needs of the African population.…”

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“…service gaps through community-based interventions, training programs for health workers, and the integration of mental health into primary healthcare services in countries like Uganda [30], South Africa [31] and Kenya [32].…”