Transitioning Mental Health & Psychosocial Support: From Short-Term Emergency to Sustainable Post-Disaster Development. Humanitarian Action Summit 2011

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 470-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.P. Patel ◽  
J. Russell ◽  
K. Allden ◽  
T.S. Betancourt ◽  
P. Bolton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Working Group ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Development Phase ◽  
Case Examples ◽  
Humanitarian Action ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Psychosocial Programs

AbstractIntroduction: The Working Group (WG) on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support participated in its second Humanitarian Action Summit in 2011. This year, the WG chose to focus on a new goal: reviewing practice related to transitioning mental health and psychosocial support programs from the emergency phase to long-term development. The Working Group's findings draw on a review of relevant literature as well as case examples.Objectives: The objective of the Working Group was to identify factors that promote or hinder the long term sustainability of emergency mental health and psychosocial interventions in crisis and conflict, and to provide recommendations for transitioning such programs from relief to development.Methods: The Working Group (WG) conducted a review of relevant literature and collected case examples based on experiences and observations of working group members in implementing mental and psychosocial programming in the field. The WG focused on reviewing literature on mental health and psychosocial programs and interventions that were established in conflict, disaster, protracted crisis settings, or transition from acute phase to development phase. The WG utilized case examples from programs in Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, Sierra Leone, Aceh (Indonesia), Sri Lanka, and New Orleans (United States).Results: The WG identified five key thematic areas that should be addressed in order to successfully transition lasting and effective mental health and psychosocial programs from emergency settings to the development phase. The five areas identified were as follows: Government and Policy, Human Resources and Training, Programming and Services, Research and Monitoring, and Finance.Conclusions: The group identified several recommendations for each thematic area, which were generated from key lessons learned by working group members through implementing mental health and psychosocial support programs in a variety of settings, some successfully sustained and some that were not.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Crisis and Conflict: Report of the Mental Health Working Group

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S2) ◽  
pp. s217-s227 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Allden ◽  
L. Jones ◽  
I. Weissbecker ◽  
M. Wessells ◽  
P. Bolton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Working Group ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Research Issues ◽  
Humanitarian Settings ◽  
Group Members

AbstractIntroduction:The Working Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support was convened as part of the 2009 Harvard Humanitarian Action Summit. The Working Group chose to focus on ethical issues in mental health and psychosocial research and programming in humanitarian settings. The Working Group built on previous work and recommendations, such as theInter-Agency Standing Committee's Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings.Objectives:The objective of this working group was to address one of the factors contributing to the deficiency of research and the need to develop the evidence base on mental health and psychosocial support interventions during complex emergencies by proposing ethical research guidelines. Outcomes research is vital for effective program development in emergency settings, but to date, no comprehensive ethical guidelines exist for guiding such research efforts.Methods:Working Group members conducted literature reviews which included peer-reviewed publications, agency reports, and relevant guidelines on the following topics: general ethical principles in research, cross-cultural issues, research in resource-poor countries, and specific populations such as trauma and torture survivors, refugees, minorities, children and youth, and the mentally ill. Working Group members also shared key points regarding ethical issues encountered in their own research and fieldwork.Results:The group adapted a broad definition of the term “research”, which encompasses needs assessments and data gathering, as well as monitoring and evaluation. The guidelines are conceptualized as applying to formal and informal processes of assessment and evaluation in which researchers as well as most service providers engage. The group reached consensus that it would be unethical not to conduct research and evaluate outcomes of mental health and psychosocial interventions in emergency settings, given that there currently is very little good evidence base for such interventions. Overarching themes and issues generated by the group for further study and articulation included: purpose and benefits of research, issues of validity, neutrality, risk, subject selection and participation, confidentiality, consent, and dissemination of results.Conclusions:The group outlined several key topics and recommendations that address ethical issues in conducting mental health and psychosocial research in humanitarian settings. The group views this set of recommendations as a living document to be further developed and refined based on input from colleagues representing different regions of the globe with an emphasis on input from colleagues from low-resource countries.

scholarly journals Access to community-based mental healthcare and psychosocial support within a disaster context

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 44-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine P O'Hanlon ◽  
Boris Budosan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Community Services ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Clear Vision ◽  
Mental Health Interventions ◽  
Mental Health Effects

After a large-scale humanitarian disaster, 30–50% of victims develop moderate or severe psychological distress. Rates of mild and moderate mental disorders increase by 5–10% and severe disorders by 1–2%. Those with such disorders need access to mental healthcare. Primary care clinics are appropriate due to their easy accessibility and the non-stigmatising environment. There is a consensus among experts that the mental health effects of disaster are best addressed by existing services, that is, through capacity building rather than by establishing parallel systems. Mental health interventions in emergencies should begin with a clear vision for the long-term advancement of community services.

Consensus Statements Regarding the Multidisciplinary Care of Limb Amputation Patients in Disasters or Humanitarian Emergencies: Report of the 2011 Humanitarian Action Summit Surgical Working Group on Amputations Following Disasters or Conflict

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 438-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Marie Knowlton ◽  
James E Gosney ◽  
Smita Chackungal ◽  
Eric Altschuler ◽  
Lynn Black ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Multidisciplinary Care ◽  
Limb Amputation ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Humanitarian Emergencies ◽  
Humanitarian Action ◽  
Consensus Statements

AbstractLimb amputations are frequently performed as a result of trauma inflicted during conflict or disasters. As demonstrated during the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, coordinating care of these patients in austere settings is complex. During the 2011 Humanitarian Action Summit, consensus statements were developed for international organizations providing care to limb amputation patients during disasters or humanitarian emergencies. Expanded planning is needed for a multidisciplinary surgical care team, inclusive of surgeons, anesthesiologists, rehabilitation specialists and mental health professionals. Surgical providers should approach amputation using an operative technique that optimizes limb length and prosthetic fitting. Appropriate anesthesia care involves both peri-operative and long-term pain control. Rehabilitation specialists must be involved early in treatment, ideally before amputation, and should educate the surgical team in prosthetic considerations. Mental health specialists must be included to help the patient with community reintegration. A key step in developing local health systemsis the establishment of surgical outcomes monitoring. Such monitoring can optimizepatient follow-up and foster professional accountability for the treatment of amputation patients in disaster settings and humanitarian emergencies.

Practical Report on Long-term Disaster Mental Health Services Following the Great East Japan Earthquake: Psychological and Social Background of Evacuees in Sendai City in the Mid- to Long-term Post-disaster Period

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 439-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masatsugu Orui ◽  
Shuichiro Harada ◽  
Mizuho Hayashi ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Alcohol Problems ◽  
Great East Japan Earthquake ◽  
Psychosocial Issues ◽  
Disaster Mental Health ◽  
Stress Symptoms ◽  
Post Disaster

AbstractObjectiveThe Great East Japan Earthquake, which occurred on March 11, 2011, caused unprecedented damage. To address evacuees’ psychosocial issues, our disaster mental health team provided psychosocial support in the form of careful listening and providing information for reconstruction.MethodsTo summarize evacuees’ psychosocial issues, we reviewed records of our daily activities and analyzed factors related to continuation or termination of support. Terminated support was defined as the resolution or improvement of psychological issues relative to the time of initial support.ResultsBased on logistic regression analysis, living in prefabricated temporary housing (odds ratio [OR]: 0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.19-0.72), a high number of improved stress symptoms (0.81; 95% CI: 0.67-0.99), and higher support frequency (0.84; 95% CI: 0.78-0.90) were significantly associated with a lower likelihood of continuing support. Conversely, economic and resettlement issues (2.75; 95% CI: 1.63-4.64) and high numbers of stress symptoms (1.24; 95% CI: 1.06-1.45) were strongly and significantly associated with continuing support, particularly in the mid- to long-term phase following the earthquake (ie, after August 1, 2011). No significant association was found between support status and alcohol problems or disaster-related experiences (eg, loss of family or housing).ConclusionOur findings highlight the need to be aware of evacuees’ social issues such as resettlement in the mid- to long-term post-disaster phase. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:439–450)

scholarly journals Mental health interventions in Myanmar: a review of the academic and gray literature

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Nguyen ◽  
C. Lee ◽  
M. Schojan ◽  
P. Bolton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
English Language ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Network Resources ◽  
Gray Literature ◽  
Psychotherapeutic Interventions ◽  
Practice Meditation ◽  
Mental Health Interventions ◽  
Psychosocial Programs

Background.Recent political changes in Myanmar provide opportunities to expand mental health (MH) services. Given Myanmar's unique situation, we felt a need to assemble and interpret available local information on MH in Myanmar to inform service design, rather than simply drawing lessons from other countries. We reviewed academic and gray literature on the experience of MH problems in Myanmar and the suitability, availability, and effectiveness of MH and psychosocial programming.Methods.We searched: (1) Google Scholar; (2) PubMed; (3) PsychInfo; (4) English-language Myanmar journals and databases; (5) the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Network resources website; (6) websites and (7) local contacts of organizations identified during 2010 and 2013 mapping exercise of MHPSS providers; (8) the Myanmar Information Management Unit (MIMU) website; (9) University libraries in Yangon and Mandalay; and (10) identified local MH professionals.Results.Qualitative data suggest that MH conditions resulting from stress are similar to those experienced elsewhere. Fourteen intervention evaluations were identified: three on community-level interventions, three on adult religion-based practice (meditation), four adult psychotherapeutic interventions, and four child-focused interventions. Support for the acceptability and effectiveness of interventions is mostly anecdotal. With the exception of two rigorous, randomized control trials, most evaluations had serious methodologic limitations.Conclusions.Few evaluations of psychotherapeutic or psychosocial programs for people from Myanmar have been published in the black or gray literature. Incorporating rigorous evaluations into existing and future programs is imperative for expanding the evidence base for psychotherapeutic and psychosocial programs in this context.

scholarly journals Community Resilience and Long-Term Impacts of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Northern Rwanda

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuko Otake
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Healing Process ◽  
Mutual Support ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Health Community ◽  
Local Resilience

Recently, discussions have considered how mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) can build upon local resilience in war-affected settings. To contribute to the knowledge in this field, the paper explored the gap between MHPSS and local communities in terms of perceived mental health problems and healing processes, and how the gap could be filled. Qualitative research was conducted in northern Rwanda with 43 participants between 2015 and 2016. Findings revealed how three particular gaps can isolate MHPSS recipients in their local community. First, whereas MHPSS applies bio-psychological frameworks to post-genocide mental health, community conceptualisations emphasise social aspects of suffering. Second, unlike MHPSS which encourages ‘talking’ about trauma, ‘practicing’ mutual support plays a major role in the community healing process. Third, MHPSS focuses on one part of the community (those who share the same background) and facilitates their healing in intervention groups. However, healing in natural communities continues in everyday life, through mutual support among different people. Despite these gaps, MHPSS recipients can be (re)integrated into the community through sharing suffering narratives and sharing life with other community members. The paper highlights the ways in which MHPSS could inclusively support different social groups in the overall geographical community, allowing members to preserve the existing reciprocity and recover collective life through their own initiatives.

scholarly journals Association between Breastfeeding Duration and Long-Term Midwifery-Led Support and Psychosocial Support: Outcomes from a Greek Non-Randomized Controlled Perinatal Health Intervention

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1988
Author(s):  
Maria Dagla ◽  
Irina Mrvoljak-Theodoropoulou ◽  
Marilena Vogiatzoglou ◽  
Anastasia Giamalidou ◽  
Eleni Tsolaridou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Exclusive Breastfeeding ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Intervention ◽  
Perinatal Health ◽  
Breastfeeding Duration ◽  
Breastfeeding Support ◽  
Randomized Controlled

Background: This study investigates if a non-randomized controlled perinatal health intervention which offers (a) long-term midwife-led breastfeeding support and (b) psychosocial support of women, is associated with the initiation, exclusivity and duration of breastfeeding. Methods: A sample of 1080 women who attended a 12-month intervention before and after childbirth, during a five-year period (January 2014–January 2019) in a primary mental health care setting in Greece, was examined. Multiple analyses of variance and logistic regression analysis were conducted. Results: The vast majority of women (96.3%) initiated either exclusive breastfeeding (only breast milk) (70.7%) or any breastfeeding (with or without formula or other type of food/drink) (25.6%). At the end of the 6th month postpartum, almost half of the women (44.3%) breastfed exclusively. A greater (quantitatively) midwifery-led support to mothers seemed to correlate with increased chance of exclusive breastfeeding at the end of the 6th month postpartum (p = 0.034), and with longer any breastfeeding duration (p = 0.015). The absence of pathological mental health symptoms and of need for receiving long-term psychotherapy were associated with the longer duration of any breastfeeding (p = 0.029 and p = 0.013 respectively). Conclusions: Continuous long-term midwife-led education and support, and maternal mental well-being are associated with increased exclusive and any breastfeeding duration.

scholarly journals Developing the Group Facilitation Assessment of Competencies Tool for Group-Based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Interventions in Humanitarian and Low-Resource Settings

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 334
Author(s):  
Gloria A. Pedersen ◽  
Manaswi Sangraula ◽  
Pragya Shrestha ◽  
Pooja Lakshmin ◽  
Alison Schafer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Time Management ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Collaborative Problem Solving ◽  
Group Facilitation ◽  
Humanitarian Settings ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Assessment Of Competencies

In humanitarian settings, mental health and psychosocial support services (MHPSS) are often delivered in group-based formats. Group interventions enable providers to reach more individuals when resources and technical expertise are limited. Group-based programs also foster social support, empathy, and collective problem-solving among the participants. To remedy the current lack of tools available to assess the group facilitation competencies of individuals delivering group-based MHPSS, we made it our objective to develop such a tool. Our approach, which focused on adults, complimented a similar initiative underway for children and adolescents. We reviewed MHPSS manuals to identify key group facilitation competencies, which include developing and reviewing group ground rules, facilitating participation among all group members, fostering empathy between members, encouraging collaborative problem-solving, addressing barriers to attendance, time management, and ensuring group confidentiality. We then developed the Group Facilitation Assessment of Competencies (GroupACT) Tool. The GroupACT is a structured observational tool for assessing these competencies during standardized role-plays with actor clients, or in vivo during the delivery of group sessions with actual clients. We conclude this article with guidance for using the GroupACT to assess facilitators' competencies in providing group-based MHPSS in the health, education, protection, and other sectors in humanitarian settings.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support for Persons in Quarantine and Isolation Facilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Namibia

2021 ◽  
pp. 40-52
Author(s):  
Rachel J. Freeman ◽  
Simon George Taukeni ◽  
Eveline Ndinelao Kalomo
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Married Couple ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Isolation Facilities

In this chapter, the authors describe the essential need of mental health and psychosocial support for people accommodated in mandatory quarantine and isolation facilities during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in Namibia through a multi-sectoral response. Namibia recorded its first two index cases on 13 March 2020 when a married couple arrived in the Windhoek district in Namibia from Madrid, Spain on 11 March 2020. Namibia has since March 2020 provided supervised quarantine services to 12,128 persons in facilities around the country. The Ministry of Health and Social Services provides mental health and psychosocial support services, which were critical in the short and long-term response to COVID-19 pandemic. Public health measures were developed in line with WHO guidelines to contain the virus. These measures include the need of setting up quarantine and isolation facilities. Recommendations for future research in strengthening mental health and psychosocial support services and coping strategies are provided in the chapter.

Therapy and prevention for mental health: What if mental diseases are mostly not brain disorders?

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
John P. A. Ioannidis
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disease ◽  
Brain Disorders ◽  
Social Stressors ◽  
Labor Education ◽  
Mental Diseases ◽  
Long Term Follow Up ◽  
Political Decisions

AbstractNeurobiology-based interventions for mental diseases and searches for useful biomarkers of treatment response have largely failed. Clinical trials should assess interventions related to environmental and social stressors, with long-term follow-up; social rather than biological endpoints; personalized outcomes; and suitable cluster, adaptive, and n-of-1 designs. Labor, education, financial, and other social/political decisions should be evaluated for their impacts on mental disease.

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