Mental health system and services in Albania

2006 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dévora Keste ◽  
Ledia Lazer ◽  
Neli Demi ◽  
Santino Severoni ◽  
Antonio Lora ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health System ◽  
Mental Health System ◽  
Mental Health Policy ◽  
Health Information System ◽  
Assessment Instrument ◽  
World Health ◽  
Mental Health Systems ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Essential Information

SUMMARYAims — To describe the mental health system in Albania. Methods — Data were gathered in 2003 and in 2004 using a new WHO instrument, World Health Organization Assessment Instrument for Mental health Systems (WHO-AIMS), designed for collecting essential information on the mental health system of low and middle income countries. It consists of 6 domains, 28 facets and 156 items. Results — The information collected through WHO AIMS covered the key aspects of mental health system in Albania: the mental health policy and the legislative framework, the network of mental health services and the characteristics of the users, the role of the primary health care, the human resources, the public education and the links with other governmental sectors, monitoring and research. Conclusions — The data collection through WHO AIMS represented a needed step for a better in-depth knowledge of the system and for implementing actions to strengthen the system. Examples of planned actions were the improvement of the mental health component in primary care, a clear shift of resources from mental hospitals to community facilities, an increase of the outpatient care and an expansion of the mental health information system.Declaration of Interest: none.

scholarly journals Information for global mental health

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Lora ◽  
P. Sharan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Assessment Instrument ◽  
World Health ◽  
Mental Health Systems ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Role Of Information

Background.Information is needed for development of mental health (MH) services; and particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs), where the MH systems are relatively weak. World Health Organization (WHO) has worked intensively during the last 15 years for developing a strategy in the field of MH information.Methods.The paper analyzes WHO instruments developed in this area [MH Atlas series and WHO Assessment Instrument for Mental Health Systems (WHO-AIMS)].Results.Data from Atlas series and WHO-AIMS demonstrated that the role of information is often neglected at all the steps: from data collection and processing to analysis, dissemination and utilization, particularly in LAMIC. By implementing several sets of feasible MH indicators WHO has technically supported the improvement of the MH information systems in LAMICs.Conclusions.In the last few years the importance of information in MH has increased and has been successfully highlighted; but a lot of work still needs to be done for achieving a minimum set of MH indicators and reliable data that can be used by both high-income countries and LAMIC.

scholarly journals Disease burden and mental health system capacity: WHO Atlas study of 117 low- and middle-income countries

2012 ◽  
Vol 201 (6) ◽  
pp. 444-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan McBain ◽  
Carmel Salhi ◽  
Jodi E. Morris ◽  
Joshua A. Salomon ◽  
Theresa S. Betancourt
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health System ◽  
Mental Health System ◽  
Disease Burden ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
System Capacity ◽  
World Health ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Group 1 ◽  
Low And Middle Income

BackgroundTreatment coverage for mental disorders ranges from less than 10% to more than 90% across low- and middle-income (LAMI) countries. Studies have yet to examine whether the capacity of mental health systems might be adversely affected by the burdens of unrelated conditions such as HIV/AIDS.AimsTo examine whether the magnitude of disease burden from communicable, perinatal, maternal and nutritional conditions - commonly referred to as Group 1 diseases - is inversely associated with mental health system capacity in LAMI countries.MethodMultiple regression analyses were undertaken using data from 117 LAMI countries included in the 2011 World Health Organization (WHO) Mental Health Atlas. Capacity was defined in terms of human resources and infrastructure. Regressions controlled for effects of political stability, government health expenditures, income inequality and neuropsychiatric disease burden.ResultsHigher Group 1 disease burden was associated with fewer psychiatrists, psychologists and nurses in the mental health sector, as well as reduced numbers of out-patient facilities and psychiatric beds in mental hospitals and general hospitals (t= −2.06 to −7.68, P < 0.05).ConclusionsEvidence suggests that mental health system capacity in LAMI countries may be adversely affected by the magnitude of their Group 1 disease burden.

scholarly journals Service user and caregiver involvement in mental health system strengthening in low- and middle-income countries: a cross-country qualitative study

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Lempp ◽  
S. Abayneh ◽  
D. Gurung ◽  
L. Kola ◽  
J. Abdulmalik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health System ◽  
Mental Health System ◽  
Service User ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Cross Country ◽  
Caregiver Involvement

Aims.The aims of this paper are to: (i) explore the experiences of involvement of mental health service users, their caregivers, mental health centre heads and policy makers in mental health system strengthening in three low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (Ethiopia, Nepal and Nigeria); (ii) analyse the potential benefits and barriers of such involvement; and (iii) identify strategies required to achieve greater service user and caregiver participation.Methods.A cross-country qualitative study was conducted, interviewing 83 stakeholders of mental health services.Results.Our analysis showed that service user and caregiver involvement in the health system strengthening process was an alien concept for most participants. They reported very limited access to direct participation. Stigma and poverty were described as the main barriers for involvement. Several strategies were identified by participants to overcome existing hurdles to facilitate service user and caregiver involvement in the mental health system strengthening process, such as support to access treatment, mental health promotion and empowerment of service users. This study suggests that capacity building for service users, and strengthening of user groups would equip them to contribute meaningfully to policy development from informed perspectives.Conclusion.Involvement of service users and their caregivers in mental health decision-making is still in its infancy in LMICs. Effective strategies are required to overcome existing barriers, for example making funding more widely available for Ph.D. studies in participatory research with service users and caregivers to develop, implement and evaluate approaches to involvement that are locally and culturally acceptable in LMICs.

scholarly journals Mental health system governance in Nigeria: challenges, opportunities and strategies for improvement

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Abdulmalik ◽  
L. Kola ◽  
O. Gureje
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Health System ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Mental Health System ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Health System Governance ◽  
Low And Middle Income

IntroductionA health systems approach to understanding efforts for improving health care services is gaining traction globally. A component of this approach focuses on health system governance (HSG), which can make or mar the successful implementation of health care interventions. Very few studies have explored HSG in low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria. Studies focusing on mental health system governance, are even more of a rarity. This study evaluates the mental HSG of Nigeria with a view to understanding the challenges, opportunities and strategies for strengthening it.MethodologyThis study was conducted as part of the project, Emerging Mental Health Systems in Low and Middle Income Countries (Emerald). A multi-method study design was utilized to evaluate the mental HSG status of Nigeria. A situational analysis of the health policy and legal environment in the country was performed. Subsequently, 30 key informant interviews were conducted at national, state and district levels to explore the country's mental HSG.ResultsThe existing policy, legislative and institutional framework for HSG in Nigeria reveals a complete exclusion of mental health in key health sector documents. The revised mental health policy is however promising. Using the Siddiqi framework categories, we identified pragmatic strategies for mental health system strengthening that include a consideration of existing challenges and opportunities within the system.ConclusionThe identified strategies provide a template for the subsequent activities of the Emerald Programme (and other interventions), towards strengthening the mental health system of Nigeria.

scholarly journals Strengthening mental health systems in low- and middle-income countries: recommendations from the Emerald programme

BJPsych Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maya Semrau ◽  
Atalay Alem ◽  
Jose L. Ayuso-Mateos ◽  
Dan Chisholm ◽  
Oye Gureje ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health System ◽  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
Mental Health Systems ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low And Middle Income

BackgroundThere is a large treatment gap for mental, neurological or substance use (MNS) disorders. The ‘Emerging mental health systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)’ (Emerald) research programme attempted to identify strategies to work towards reducing this gap through the strengthening of mental health systems.AimsTo provide a set of proposed recommendations for mental health system strengthening in LMICs.MethodThe Emerald programme was implemented in six LMICs in Africa and Asia (Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda) over a 5-year period (2012–2017), and aimed to improve mental health outcomes in the six countries by building capacity and generating evidence to enhance health system strengthening.ResultsThe proposed recommendations align closely with the World Health Organization's key health system strengthening ‘building blocks’ of governance, financing, human resource development, service provision and information systems; knowledge transfer is included as an additional cross-cutting component. Specific recommendations are made in the paper for each of these building blocks based on the body of data that were collected and analysed during Emerald.ConclusionsThese recommendations are relevant not only to the six countries in which their evidential basis was generated, but to other LMICs as well; they may also be generalisable to other non-communicable diseases beyond MNS disorders.Declaration of interestNone.

scholarly journals Trends in mental health system transformation: Integrating youth services within the Canadian context

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 51-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanya Halsall ◽  
Ian Manion ◽  
Srividya N. Iyer ◽  
Steve Mathias ◽  
Rosemary Purcell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health System ◽  
Mental Health System ◽  
Developmentally Appropriate ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Youth Services ◽  
System Transformation ◽  
Mental Health Systems ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
International Knowledge

The current mental health services system in Canada is fragmented and transitions between the youth and adult mental health systems have been identified as needing significant improvement. Integrated Youth Services (IYS) are designed to be adaptable and developmentally appropriate as well as to promote seamless transitions, including during emerging adulthood. This article provides an overview of recent developments in Canadian mental health system transformation to promote the integration of services and the holistic promotion of youth well-being. We offer an overview of the current state of knowledge related to best practices in IYS in Canada and highlight areas for future development. We also introduce Frayme, a Canadian-based international knowledge translation platform designed to connect organizations working in the youth services system to accelerate the implementation of IYS.

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