The Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Partnership (SHARP) for Mental Health Capacity-Building Scale-Up Trial: Study Design and Protocol

2020 ◽  
pp. appi.ps.2020000
Author(s):  
Bradley N. Gaynes ◽  
Christopher F. Akiba ◽  
Mina C. Hosseinipour ◽  
Kazione Kulisewa ◽  
Alemayehu Amberbir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Regional Partnership ◽  
Sub Saharan

scholarly journals The Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Partnership (SHARP) for Mental Health Capacity Building: a program protocol for building implementation science and mental health research and policymaking capacity in Malawi and Tanzania

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Fittipaldi Akiba ◽  
Vivian Go ◽  
Victor Mwapasa ◽  
Mina Hosseinipour ◽  
Bradley Neil Gaynes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Regional Partnership ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Building Program ◽  
Capacity Building Program ◽  
Research And Policy

Abstract Background Mental health (MH) disorders in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) account for a large proportion of disease burden. While efficacious treatments exist, only 10% of those in need are able to access care. This treatment gap is fueled by structural determinants including inadequate resource allocation and prioritization, both rooted in a lack of research and policy capacity. The goal of the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Partnership for Mental Health Capacity Building (SHARP), based in Malawi and Tanzania, is to address those research and policy-based determinants. Methods SHARP aims to (1) build implementation science skills and expertise among Malawian and Tanzanian researchers in the area of mental health; (2) ensure that Malawian and Tanzanian policymakers and providers have the knowledge and skills to effectively apply research findings on evidence-based mental health programs to routine practice; and (3) strengthen dialogue between researchers, policymakers, and providers leading to efficient and sustainable scale-up of mental health services in Malawi and Tanzania. SHARP comprises five capacity building components: introductory and advanced short courses, a multifaceted dialogue, on-the-job training, pilot grants, and “mentor the mentors” courses. Discussion Program evaluation includes measuring dose delivered and received, participant knowledge and satisfaction, as well as academic output (e.g., conference posters or presentations, manuscript submissions, grant applications). The SHARP Capacity Building Program aims to make a meaningful contribution in pursuit of a model of capacity building that could be replicated in other LMICs. If impactful, the SHARP Capacity Building Program could increase the knowledge, skills, and mentorship capabilities of researchers, policymakers, and providers regarding effective scale up of evidence-based MH treatment.

scholarly journals Positioning for success: building capacity in academic competencies for early-career researchers in sub-Saharan Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Merritt ◽  
H. Jack ◽  
W. Mangezi ◽  
D. Chibanda ◽  
M. Abas
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Training Experience ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Early Career Researchers ◽  
Academic Competencies ◽  
Sub Saharan

Background. Capacity building is essential in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to address the gap in skills to conduct and implement research. Capacity building must not only include scientific and technical knowledge, but also broader competencies, such as writing, disseminating research and achieving work–life balance. These skills are thought to promote long-term career success for researchers in high-income countries (HICs) but the availability of such training is limited in LMICs. Methods. This paper presents the contextualisation and implementation of the Academic Competencies Series (ACES). ACES is an early-career researcher development programme adapted from a UK university. Through consultation between HIC and LMIC partners, an innovative series of 10 workshops was designed covering themes of self-development, engagement and writing skills. ACES formed part of the African Mental Health Research Initiative (AMARI), a multi-national LMIC-led consortium to recruit, train, support and network early-career mental health researchers from four sub-Saharan African countries. Results. Of the 10 ACES modules, three were HIC-LMIC co-led, four led by HIC facilitators with LMIC training experience and three led by external consultants from HICs. Six workshops were delivered face to face and four by webinar. Course attendance was over 90% and the delivery cost was approximately US$4500 per researcher trained. Challenges of adaptation, attendance and technical issues are described for the first round of workshops. Conclusions. This paper indicates that a skills development series for early-career researchers can be contextualised and implemented in LMIC settings, and is feasible for co-delivery with local partners at relatively low cost.

scholarly journals Mental health and HIV: research priorities related to the implementation and scale up of ‘treat all’ in sub-Saharan Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 16-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela M. Parcesepe ◽  
Charlotte Bernard ◽  
Robert Agler ◽  
Jeremy Ross ◽  
Marcel Yotebieng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Hiv Research ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Treat All

scholarly journals Developing mental health research in sub-Saharan Africa: capacity building in the AFFIRM project

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Schneider ◽  
K. Sorsdahl ◽  
R. Mayston ◽  
J. Ahrens ◽  
D. Chibanda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Building Activities ◽  
Building Program ◽  
Short Courses

BackgroundThere remains a large disparity in the quantity, quality and impact of mental health research carried out in sub-Saharan Africa, relative to both the burden and the amount of research carried out in other regions. We lack evidence on the capacity-building activities that are effective in achieving desired aims and appropriate methodologies for evaluating success.MethodsAFFIRM was an NIMH-funded hub project including a capacity-building program with three components open to participants across six countries: (a) fellowships for an M.Phil. program; (b) funding for Ph.D. students conducting research nested within AFFIRM trials; (c) short courses in specialist research skills. We present findings on progression and outputs from the M.Phil. and Ph.D. programs, self-perceived impact of short courses, qualitative data on student experience, and reflections on experiences and lessons learnt from AFFIRM consortium members.ResultsAFFIRM delivered funded research training opportunities to 25 mental health professionals, 90 researchers and five Ph.D. students across 6 countries over a period of 5 years. A number of challenges were identified and suggestions for improving the capacity-building activities explored.ConclusionsHaving protected time for research is a barrier to carrying out research activities for busy clinicians. Funders could support sustainability of capacity-building initiatives through funds for travel and study leave. Adoption of a train-the-trainers model for specialist skills training and strategies for improving the rigor of evaluation of capacity-building activities should be considered.

scholarly journals The African Guide: One Year Impact and Outcomes from the Implementation of a School Mental Health Literacy Curriculum Resource in Tanzania

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanley Kutcher ◽  
Yifeng Wei ◽  
Heather Gilberds ◽  
Adena Brown ◽  
Omary Ubuguyu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
One Year

little research is available. Schools are an ideal location in which to address mental health literacy. A Canadian school-based mental health literacy resource was adapted for application in sub-Saharan Africa called the African Guide (AG). The AG is a classroom ready curriculum resource addressing all aspects of mental health literacy. Herein we provide teacher reported activity impacts and MHL outcomes from the implementation of the AG in Tanzania. Following training, survey data addressing teacher reported AG impact and MHL outcomes was collected at three time points over a one year period. Over a period of one year, 32 teachers from 29 different schools reported that over: 4,600 students were taught MHL; 150 peer teachers were trained on the AG; 390 students approached teachers with a mental health concern; 450 students were referred to previously trained community care providers for diagnosis and treatment of Depression; and most students were considered to have demonstrated improved or very much improved knowledge, attitudes and help-seeking efficacy, with similar outcomes reported for teachers. Results of this study demonstrate a substantial positive impact on MHL related activities and outcomes for both students and teachers using the AG resource in Tanzania. Taken together with previously published research on enhancing MHL in both Malawi and Tanzania, if replicated in another setting, these results will provide additional support for the scale up of this intervention across sub-Saharan Africa.

scholarly journals Mental health capacity building in refugee primary health care settings in Sub-Saharan Africa: impact, challenges and gaps

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Echeverri ◽  
J. Le Roy ◽  
B. Worku ◽  
P. Ventevogel
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Health Care Settings ◽  
Humanitarian Settings ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Primary Health Care Settings

Background.In 2015, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees started a process of mental health capacity building in refugee primary health care settings in seven countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, ultimately aiming to decrease the treatment gap of mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) conditions in these operations. In 2015 and 2016, a specialized non-governmental organization, the War Trauma Foundation, trained 619 staff with the mental health gap action programme (mhGAP) Humanitarian Intervention Guide (HIG), a tool designed to guide clinical decision making in humanitarian settings.Methods.This paper describes the results of a process evaluation of a real-life implementation project by an external consultant, one and a half years after starting the programme.Results.The mhGAP-HIG capacity building efforts had various effects contributing to the integration of mental health in refugee primary health care. Facility-and community-based staff reported strengthened capacities to deliver mental health and psychosocial support interventions as well as changes in their attitude towards people suffering from MNS conditions. Service delivery and collaboration amongst different intervention levels improved. The scarcity of specialized staff in these settings was a major barrier, hindering the setting-up of supervision mechanisms.Conclusion.Mental health training of non-specialized staff in complex humanitarian settings is feasible and can lead to increased competency of providers. However, capacity building is a ‘process’ and not an ‘event’ and mhGAP trainings are only one element in a spectrum of activities aimed at integrating mental health into general health care. Regular supervision and continuing on-the-job training are in fact critical to ensure sustainability.

scholarly journals Relationships with caregivers and mental health outcomes among adolescents living with HIV: a prospective cohort study in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yulia Shenderovich ◽  
Mark Boyes ◽  
Michelle Degli Esposti ◽  
Marisa Casale ◽  
Elona Toska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Positive Caregiving ◽  
Living With Hiv

Abstract Background Mental health problems may impact adherence to anti-retroviral treatment, retention in care, and consequently the survival of adolescents living with HIV. The adolescent-caregiver relationship is an important potential source of resilience. However, there is a lack of longitudinal research in sub-Saharan Africa on which aspects of adolescent-caregiver relationships can promote mental health among adolescents living with HIV. We draw on a prospective longitudinal cohort study undertaken in South Africa to address this question. Methods The study traced adolescents aged 10–19 initiated on antiretroviral treatment in government health facilities (n = 53) within a health district of the Eastern Cape province. The adolescents completed standardised questionnaires during three data collection waves between 2014 and 2018. We used within-between multilevel regressions to examine the links between three aspects of adolescent-caregiver relationships (caregiver supervision, positive caregiving, and adolescent-caregiver communication) and adolescent mental health (depression symptoms and anxiety symptoms), controlling for potential confounders (age, sex, rural/urban residence, mode of infection, household resources), n=926 adolescents. Results Improvements in caregiver supervision were associated with reductions in anxiety (0.98, 95% CI 0.97–0.99, p=0.0002) but not depression symptoms (0.99, 95% CI 0.98–1.00, p=.151), while changes in positive caregiving were not associated with changes in mental health symptoms reported by adolescents. Improvements in adolescent-caregiver communication over time were associated with reductions in both depression (IRR=0.94, 95% CI 0.92–0.97, p<.0001) and anxiety (0.91, 95% CI 0.89–0.94, p<.0001) symptoms reported by adolescents. Conclusions Findings highlight open and supportive adolescent-caregiver communication and good caregiver supervision as potential factors for guarding against mental health problems among adolescents living with HIV in South Africa. Several evidence-informed parenting programmes aim to improve adolescent-caregiver communication and caregiver supervision, and their effect on depression and anxiety among adolescents living with HIV should be rigorously tested in sub-Saharan Africa. How to improve communication in other settings, such as schools and clinics, and provide communication support for caregivers, adolescents, and service providers through these existing services should also be considered.

scholarly journals Maintaining paediatric cardiac services during the COVID-19 pandemic in a developing country in sub-Saharan Africa: guidelines for a “scale up” in the face of a global “scale down”

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (11) ◽  
pp. 1588-1594
Author(s):  
Ogochukwu J. Sokunbi ◽  
Ogadinma Mgbajah ◽  
Augustine Olugbemi ◽  
Bassey O. Udom ◽  
Ariyo Idowu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Scale Up ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
International Travel ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Continent ◽  
Tertiary Centre ◽  
The Face ◽  
Scale Down ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
International Experts

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic is currently ravaging the globe and the African continent is not left out. While the direct effects of the pandemic in regard to morbidity and mortality appear to be more significant in the developed world, the indirect harmful effects on already insufficient healthcare infrastructure on the African continent would in the long term be more detrimental to the populace. Women and children form a significant vulnerable population in underserved areas such as the sub-Saharan region, and expectedly will experience the disadvantages of limited healthcare coverage which is a major fall out of the pandemic. Paediatric cardiac services that are already sparse in various sub-Saharan countries are not left out of this downsizing. Restrictions on international travel for patients out of the continent to seek medical care and for international experts into the continent for regular mission programmes leave few options for children with cardiac defects to get the much-needed care.There is a need for a region-adapted guideline to scale-up services to cater for more children with congenital heart disease (CHD) while providing a safe environment for healthcare workers, patients, and their caregivers. This article outlines measures adapted to maintain paediatric cardiac care in a sub-Saharan tertiary centre in Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic and will serve as a guide for other institutions in the region who will inadvertently need to provide these services as the demand increases.

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