Building an evidence base on mental health interventions for children affected by armed conflict

AbstractTo provide an overview of the economic impact of poor mental health in the workplace and assess the extent to which economic evaluation has been used to further the case for investment in workplace based mental health programmes. Rapid scoping review of published and grey literature. The socio-economic costs of poor mental health in the workplace are substantial but conservative, as few studies have included productivity losses from work cutback, as well as absenteeism. While few economic evaluations of workplace based mental health interventions were identified, the available evidence base suggests that they have the potential to be highly cost effective. Much of this evidence may be from the US and be less applicable elsewhere; it may also have been solely published in company documents making assessment of methodological quality difficult. The potential economic case for workplace based mental health interventions appears good. More collaboration between policy makers and the private sector would help facilitate rigorous and transparent economic evaluations. A number of evaluations are planned. The challenge is to build on these initiatives, in order to address what remains a major gap in our knowledge on the economics of mental health.

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The Eight Ujarait (Rocks) Model: Supporting Inuit Adolescent Mental Health With an Intervention Model Based on Inuit Ways of Knowing

International Journal of Indigenous Health ◽

10.18357/ijih111201614394 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 92 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Gwen Katheryn Healey ◽

Jennifer Noah ◽

Ceporah Mearns

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Literature Review ◽

Peer Relationships ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Ways Of Knowing ◽

Youth Mental Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Health Interventions ◽

Mental Health Interventions

Objective: This study responded to a community-identified need to form an evidence base for interventions to promote mental health and wellness among youth in Nunavut. Methods: A literature review was conducted using the terms adolescence and Inuit and intervention or program or camp or land-based. PubMed and Google Scholar databases were used to find peer-reviewed and grey literature on community-based youth programs. The literature review was presented to parents, elders, and youth for discussion over several months in 2009-2010. Results: Key themes included: self-esteem, physical activity, stress and coping, positive peer relationships, Inuit identity, mental health and well-being, and the effects of intergenerational trauma on youth in Nunavut. Themes were incorporated into a model for youth mental health interventions based on Inuit terminology, philosophy, and societal values—the Eight Ujarait/Rocks Model. The model was implemented as a camp program in 6 pilots in 5 communities from 2011 to 2013. Data were collected before and after the camp. Results indicated that the program fostered physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness among youth. Parent observations of participants included an improvement in behaviour and attitude, strong cultural pride, greater confidence in identity, and improved family and community relationships. Conclusion: Evidence-based, community-driven models for youth mental health interventions in the North hold promise. The application of one such model through a camp program had a lasting impact on the individuals involved, beyond their immediate participation. Long-term monitoring of the participants, and ongoing evaluations of camps as they continue to unfold across Nunavut, are needed to contribute to the robust evidence base for this program over time.

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Short report: A quantitative methodological review of participant characteristics in the literature testing mental health interventions for youth with autism spectrum disorder

Autism ◽

10.1177/13623613211056408 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 136236132110564

Author(s):

Kelsey S Dickson ◽

Megan Ledoux Galligan ◽

Ho Lok

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Treatment ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Health Interventions ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Health Treatment ◽

Current Evidence Base ◽

Mental Health Interventions ◽

Treatment Research

There have been significant efforts to develop, adapt, and test interventions targeting the co-occurring mental health conditions common among autistic youth, with several extant narrative and systematic reviews demonstrating the efficacy of these interventions. Yet, a methodological analysis of the literature testing these interventions, particularly the characteristics of the participant samples comprising this evidence base, is needed to contextualize our current understanding of treatment effects and highlight current gaps in the current evidence base to inform future research. This systematic quantitative methodology review characterized participants included in the mental health treatment research for autistic youth. One hundred and thirty-one articles testing mental health interventions for autism spectrum disorder were coded for youth, caregiver, and provider participant demographics. Findings indicated limited representation of females, transition age youth, racial/ethnic minority groups, and youth diverse in cognitive functioning and co-occurring mental health symptoms or conditions. Limited inclusion of providers’ representative of the clinical workforce was also noted. These results illuminate several critical gaps in the current evidence base for mental health interventions for autistic youth and provide recommendations for future research directions. Lay abstract Previous research has highlighted the importance of mental health treatment for autistic youth. In that research base, most studies focus on demonstrating the efficacy of a particular intervention with a sample of autistic youth. However, understanding the characteristics of samples used within these studies (i.e. demographics) is an important avenue for expanding this research to a more diverse, representative sample of autistic youth in community settings. As such, the current review examined and characterized participants included within mental health treatment research. We coded studies for various demographics among the youth sample, caregivers, and providers participants. Results indicated that while efforts have been made to increase diversity in research, very few studies including transition-aged youth, those identifying as female, and/or those identifying as non-Caucasian. Clinically, a few studies included youth with lower cognitive abilities and/or those with specific mental health problems (e.g. trauma and depression) or more than one co-occurring mental health conditions. Overall, our results highlight several critical gaps in our current evidence base regarding mental health treatment for autistic youth, including the limited clinical representativeness of both provider and child participants.

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International representation in psychiatric literature

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.178.5.406 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 178 (5) ◽

pp. 406-409 ◽

Cited By ~ 146

Author(s):

Vikram Patel ◽

Athula Sumathipala

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Health Interventions ◽

Psychiatric Disease ◽

Global Burden ◽

The World ◽

Mental Health Interventions ◽

Acceptance Rates ◽

International Representation ◽

Global Population

BackgroundDespite the growing recognition of the global burden of psychiatric disease, there are questions about the strength of the evidence base from non-Western societies.AimsTo compare the contribution of Euro-American countries and the rest of the world (RoW) to psychiatric literature.MethodSurvey of the country of origin of papers submitted to and published in six leading psychiatric journals over a 3-year period (1996–1998).ResultsOnly 6% of the literature is published from regions of the world that account for over 90% of global population. The three journals published in Europe had a significantly higher proportion of international articles when compared to the three American journals. Less than 1% of all published articles described mental health interventions in the RoW. Acceptance rates were significantly lower for papers submitted from the RoW.ConclusionsThere is a gross under-representation of research from the RoW. This has implications for the development of a truly international psychiatry.

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Sexual Violence in Areas of Armed Conflict: A Systematic Review of Mental Health Interventions

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e533652013-246 ◽

2012 ◽

Author(s):

Wietse Tol

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Sexual Violence ◽

Armed Conflict ◽

Health Interventions ◽

Mental Health Interventions

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Editorial: Prevention in the community and treatment in the clinic – two different methodological approaches to determining the evidence-base for child mental health interventions

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry ◽

10.1111/j.1469-7610.2008.01919.x ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 49 (5) ◽

pp. 469-470

Author(s):

Tony Charman

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Child Mental Health ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Health Interventions ◽

Mental Health Interventions ◽

Methodological Approaches

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Farmer Mental Health Interventions: A Systematic Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph19010244 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 244

Author(s):

Terasa Younker ◽

Heidi Liss Radunovich

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Mental Health Literacy ◽

The United States ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Health Interventions ◽

Rigorous Evaluation ◽

Wide Range ◽

Mental Health Interventions

The prevalence of mental health disorders and suicide amongst agricultural producers is a global problem. Community leaders, researchers, policymakers, and clinicians have mobilized to develop programs to address this issue. This study reviewed a wide range of mental health interventions targeting farmer mental health spanning over 50 years and examined their reported effectiveness and constraints. A total of ninety-two articles on farmer mental health were included in a final systematic review. Most articles were written concerning mental health literacy and peer and paraprofessional support interventions in the United States and Australia. Among the 56 studies reporting empirical evaluative data, 21 were mixed-method, 20 quantitative, 11 qualitative, and 5 literature synthesis. Non-experimental, self-reported, and qualitative data suggest efficacy of mental health literacy programs, peer and paraprofessional support, and community-based and agroecological interventions. However, most interventions were not subject to rigorous evaluation and only one intervention was evaluated using a control condition. The heterogeneity of existing studies and paucity of rigorous evaluation proscribes firm conclusions related to program-type efficacy. This review demonstrates that there is still a need for a stronger and broader evidence base in the field of farmer mental health interventions, which should focus on both holistic, multi-component programs and targeted approaches.

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