Enhancing mental health pre-service training with the WHO mhGAP Intervention Guide: experiences learned and the way forward

Iversen, Silje Akselberg; Ogallo, Brian; Belfer, Myron L.; Fung, Daniel; Hoven, Christina W.; Carswell, Kenneth; Skokauskas, Norbert

doi:10.1186/s13034-020-00354-2

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…On the other hand, the need for the further development and evaluation of measures and methods should not prevent or postpone the use of methods that have been shown to be effective or promising. Based on our experience, we think that integrating TRT knowledge into the preservice training of health and social workers may be a fruitful approach, both to secure sustainability and to support task-sharing on a larger scale [ 59 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Training non-specialists in teaching recovery techniques (TRT) to help traumatised children in humanitarian settings: a qualitative analysis of experiences gained from 20 years of practice

Heltne,

Sarkadi,

Lien

et al. 2023

Int J Equity Health

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Background Although several manuals and guidelines have been developed to enhance the quality of task-sharing interventions, it remains challenging to train non-professional personnel in mental health and psychosocial support. Practitioners must translate general recommendations into practical applications to make them relevant in demanding contexts. However, limited research exists on practical experiences with standardised programmes in the field. Aim To explore how experiences gained from the training of first-line health providers in a low-threshold intervention for children with trauma symptoms may guide implementation of such interventions in local communities in low-income countries. Method: We summarise 20 years of experience in the training of first-line health providers, teachers, and school counsellors in providing a low-threshold intervention. The intervention is called teaching recovery techniques (TRT), developed by the Children and War Foundation (CAW). Field notes containing notes from trainings and oral, informal feedback from participants are analysed using thematic analysis, a method well-suited for identifying, analysing, and reporting patterns, or themes, within data in qualitative research. Findings The analysis showed three main themes/ challenges: (1) Who can conduct the TRT intervention? (2) What form and content should the training take? (3) How can the intervention be used in a responsible way to follow the ‘do no harm’ principle? We discuss the implications of the findings for trainings in scalable interventions and further research.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Training non-specialists in teaching recovery techniques (TRT) to help traumatised children in humanitarian settings: a qualitative analysis of experiences gained from 20 years of practice

Heltne,

Sarkadi,

Lien

et al. 2023

Int J Equity Health

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“…The World Health Organization and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees have designed the mental health Gap Action Program Humanitarian Intervention Guide (mhGAP-HIG) specifically for this purpose, 17 and primary healthcare clinics and general hospitals could use the mhGAP-HIG to meet the needs for mental healthcare among affected populations. The feasibility of the mhGAP for medical and non-medical specialists has been supported in multiple low- and middle-income countries including Ukraine, 7 , 18 and thus the mhGAP-HIG may also show promise in conflict-affected Ukraine (which could, if continued post-conflict, help expand Ukraine's community-based mental healthcare). However, based on our finding that the mental health workforce has been severely damaged across the nation, the non-mental health workforce may also have suffered, especially in regions directly under attack by the Russian forces.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental health services in Ukraine during the early phases of the 2022 Russian invasion

et al. 2022

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Background In February 2022, Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. War increases the demand for mental healthcare among affected populations, but with devastating losses across the nation, it is unclear if Ukrainian mental health services are able to meet the needs of the people. Aims We aimed to evaluate the state of Ukrainian in-patient mental health services, which remains the backbone of the nation's psychiatric services, early in the 2022 Russian invasion. Method We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional study on Ukrainian in-patient mental health facilities during the 2022 Russian invasion. Using an online questionnaire, we obtained responses from the heads of 32 in-patient mental health facilities across Ukraine, representing 52.5% of all in-patient mental health facilities in the nation. We gathered information on hospital admissions, staff, humanitarian aid received and the additional needs of each facility. Results Hospital admissions were reduced by 23.5% during the war (April 2022) compared with before the war (January 2022). Across facilities, 9.6% of hospital admissions in April 2022 were related to war trauma, with facilities reporting percentages as high as 30.0%. Facilities reported reductions in staff, with 9.1% of total medical workers displaced and 0.5% injured across facilities. One facility reported that 45.6% of their total medical workers were injured. Although facilities across Ukraine have received humanitarian aid (such as medical supplies, food, volunteers), they reported additionally needing equipment as well as more staff. Conclusions The mental health service structure in Ukraine has been severely damaged during the 2022 invasion, with staff shortages despite a significant number of hospital admissions related to war trauma.

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“…This kind of training should be offered as both pre- and in-service training. Pre-service training is more cost-effective as staff do not have to take time off work, and students who have not yet finished their education can get an early introduction to the field [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Child and adolescent mental health services in Uganda

Iversen¹,

Nalugya

Babirye

et al. 2021

Int J Ment Health Syst

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Introduction Worldwide, one in five children and adolescents suffer from mental health disorders, while facing limited opportunities for treatment and recovery. Growing up, they face multiple challenges that might contribute to the development of mental disorders. Uganda is a developing country with a history of prolonged civil and regional wars associated with child soldiers, large numbers of refugees and internally displaced people due to natural disasters and unrests, and a large infectious disease burden mainly due to acute respiratory tract infections, malaria and HIV/AIDS. Objective This paper aims to examine the current status of child and adolescent mental health services in Uganda. Methodology A scoping review approach was used to select studies on child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in Uganda. A search of MEDLINE, Wiley and PubMed databases was conducted using eligibility criteria. The papers were summarized in tables and then synthesized using the Frameworks for monitoring health systems performance designed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). This was done according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and M-Analyses Extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Results Twelve studies were identified; five of them used qualitative methods and focused mostly on the current limitations and strengths of CAMHS in Uganda, while six quantitative studies investigated the effects of new interventions. One study used a mixed-methods approach. In summary, the papers outlined a need for collaboration with the primary health sector and traditional healers to ensure additional human resources, as well as the need to focus on groups such as orphans, HIV/AIDS-affected youth, former child soldiers and refugees. Conclusion Relatively few studies have been conducted on CAMHS in Uganda, and most of those that exist are part of larger studies involving multiple countries. CAMHS in Uganda require improvement and needs to focus especially on vulnerable groups such as orphans, HIV/AIDS-affected youth and former child soldiers.

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Enhancing mental health pre-service training with the WHO mhGAP Intervention Guide: experiences learned and the way forward

Cited by 7 publications

References 6 publications

Training non-specialists in teaching recovery techniques (TRT) to help traumatised children in humanitarian settings: a qualitative analysis of experiences gained from 20 years of practice

Training non-specialists in teaching recovery techniques (TRT) to help traumatised children in humanitarian settings: a qualitative analysis of experiences gained from 20 years of practice

Mental health services in Ukraine during the early phases of the 2022 Russian invasion

Child and adolescent mental health services in Uganda

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