scholarly journals Prevalence and factors associated with poor mental health among healthcare professionals in low- and lower-middle-income countries: a systematic review protocol

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Lohmann ◽  
Denny John ◽  
Aso Dzay
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Wellbeing ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Mental Health Issues

Abstract Background A healthy and productive health workforce is central to a well-functioning health system. However, health workers are at high risk of poor psychological wellbeing due to their particularly strenuous work demands. While mental health of health workers is a well-researched issue in high-income countries, research from low- and lower-middle-income countries (LLMIC) has begun to emerge only recently. The review aims to synthesize this body of research, specifically to assess the prevalence of mental health issues among health workers in LLMIC, to identify factors associated with good or poor mental health, and to highlight gaps in knowledge. Methods We will perform a systematic search of the published English and French language literature (from inception onwards) in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO. Eligible for inclusion are observational studies (e.g., cross-sectional, case-control, or cohort) and control arms of randomized controlled trials reporting investigations on the nature, prevalence, and factors associated with mental health or psychological wellbeing among formally trained health professionals and health associate professionals delivering health services in formal healthcare facilities in LLMIC. The primary outcomes will be burnout, depression, and general psychological wellbeing. Secondary outcomes include other specific mental health diagnoses, as well as general psychological stress, distress and/or trauma if work-related and explicitly framed as a mental health issue. Two authors will independently examine the studies against the eligibility criteria in the stages of title, abstract, and full-text study selection, as well as assess the risk of bias in included studies using standard checklists depending on study design. Disagreements will be resolved in discussion with the third author. Data will be extracted from included studies using a predefined and piloted coding framework. Given the anticipated heterogeneity of studies, we do not expect to be able to conduct meta-analysis and plan to summarize the extracted data in narrative form. The framework method will be used to organize narrative data by subthemes and explore patterns. Discussion In assessing the prevalence of mental health issues among healthcare professionals in LLMIC and identifying factors associated with positive or poor mental health, the review aims to synthesize all possible available information for policy makers and health system managers on a potentially highly important but not yet much-discussed issue and to highlight gaps in currently available knowledge. Systematic review registration International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews PROSPERO (registration number CRD42019140036)

scholarly journals Mental Health in low-and middle income countries (LMICs): Going beyond the need for funding

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Folashade T Alloh ◽  
Pramod Regmi ◽  
Igoche Onche ◽  
Edwin Van Teijlingen ◽  
Steven Trenoweth
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Despite being globally recognised as an important public health issue, mental health is still less prioritised as a disease burden in many Low-and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). More than 70% of the global mental health burden occurs in these countries. We discussed mental health issues in LMICs under themes such as abuse and mental illness, cultural influence on mental health, need for dignity in care, meeting financial and workforce gaps and the need for national health policy for the mental health sector. We highlighted that although mental health education and health care services in most LMICs are poorly resourced; there is an urgent need to address issues beyond funding that contribute to poor mental health. In order to meet the increasing challenge of mental health illness in LMICs, there is a need for effort to address cultural and professional challenges that contribute to poor mental health among individuals. We have a notion that mental health should be integrated into primary health care in LMICs. Creating awareness on the impact of some cultural attitudes/practices will encourage better uptake of mental health services and increase the ease when discussing mental health issues in these countries which can contribute to reducing the poor mental health in LMICs.

scholarly journals Much research, but little learned to date: A scoping review on mental health of health workers in low- and lower-middle income countries and roadmap for future research

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Lohmann ◽  
Denny John ◽  
Aso Dzay
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Psychological Wellbeing ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Measurement Tool ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries

Abstract BackgroundSARS-CoV-2 has resulted in unprecedented research efforts on health workers’ work realities and their potential mental health impacts. To understand the latter, high-quality evidence on the baseline situation is paramount. With the aim of providing a comprehensive overview of existing evidence and to inform future research, we undertook a scoping review of the quantitative literature on mental health and psychological wellbeing of clinical skilled healthcare personnel working in all settings of care in low- and lower-middle income countries (LLMIC).MethodsWe performed a systematic search of the literature up to the end of 2019, in English or French language, in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, Global Health, and CAIRN. We included both studies estimating levels of mental health and studies investigating associations with other factors. We extracted data on study characteristics and methodology, and assessed the methodological quality of the included studies along nine criteria.ResultsWe found 143 relevant studies, 135 including data on mental health levels and 126 including data on associations with other factors. The studies covered 26 of the world’s 78 LLMICs, with most studies conducted in India, Nigeria, Pakistan, or Egypt, in urban secondary- and tertiary-care settings. 67% of studies assessed burnout, 25% general psychological wellbeing, and 20% other mental health outcomes. Only 19% of studies were of high quality due to shortcomings particularly in regards to sample representativeness, context-specific measurement tool validity, and reporting of methodological detail. We found much heterogeneity in investigated associated factors. Studies focused almost exclusively on potential determinants of mental health, while none linked mental health to objectively measured performance outcomes.ConclusionWe conclude that despite its impressive size, we can learn comparatively little from the current body of literature. Based on our findings, we outline areas for expansion, methodological improvement, and standardization of reporting in future research on mental health of health workers.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO no. CRD42019140036

scholarly journals Impact of Covid-19 on the Mental Health of Indians: A Case Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 24-28
Author(s):  
S. Gupta ◽  
S. Sengupta
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
The Other ◽  
Policy Recommendations ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Second Wave ◽  
Better Than

The unprecedented episode of the Covid-19 pandemic has been a massive shock to individuals all across the globe. Overwhelmed healthcare conditions, stringent lockdowns and plummeting economies have been a huge blow, especially for low- and middle-income countries. In the first phase of the pandemic, India had performed relatively better than most of the other nations in its income strata. However, the second wave of the disease had severe impacts on healthcare as well as the economy. In this light, individuals residing within the country were faced with an uphill task of evading the virus and keeping their mental health intact. This paper takes a dig into the mental health of Indian residents during the second wave of the pandemic (May 2021) through an analysis of a collected sample. The sample consisted of 400 participants (59% males, 40.25% females; mean age=26 years). The DASS-21 index was used to assess the mental state of citizens amidst an ongoing nationwide lockdown. A significant association was obtained between Covid-19, depression and overall DASS index. Thus, the importance of addressing mental health issues during a prevailing pandemic has been identified, and subsequent policy recommendations have been prescribed.

scholarly journals Impact of maternal mental health interventions on child-related outcomes in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. A. Tol ◽  
M. C. Greene ◽  
M. E. Lasater ◽  
K. Le Roch ◽  
C. Bizouerne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Exclusive Breastfeeding ◽  
Home Visiting ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Maternal Mental Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Child Height ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Abstract Aims Observational studies have shown a relationship between maternal mental health (MMH) and child development, but few studies have evaluated whether MMH interventions improve child-related outcomes, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this review is to synthesise findings on the effectiveness of MMH interventions to improve child-related outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods We searched for randomised controlled trials conducted in LMICs evaluating interventions with a MMH component and reporting children's outcomes. Meta-analysis was performed on outcomes included in at least two trials. Results We identified 21 trials with 28 284 mother–child dyads. Most trials were conducted in middle-income countries, evaluating home visiting interventions delivered by general health workers, starting in the third trimester of pregnancy. Only ten trials described acceptable methods for blinding outcome assessors. Four trials showed high risk of bias in at least two of the seven domains assessed in this review. Narrative synthesis showed promising but inconclusive findings for child-related outcomes. Meta-analysis identified a sizeable impact of interventions on exclusive breastfeeding (risk ratio = 1.39, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13–1.71, ten trials, N = 4749 mother–child dyads, I2 = 61%) and a small effect on child height-for-age at 6-months (std. mean difference = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.02–0.24, three trials, N = 1388, I2 = 0%). Meta-analyses did not identify intervention benefits for child cognitive and other growth outcomes; however, few trials measured these outcomes. Conclusions These findings support the importance of MMH to improve child-related outcomes in LMICs, particularly exclusive breastfeeding. Given, the small number of trials and methodological limitations, more rigorous trials should be conducted.

scholarly journals Organizational factors associated with health worker protection during the COVID-19 pandemic in four provinces of South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muzimkhulu Zungu ◽  
Kuku Voyi ◽  
Nosimilo Mlangeni ◽  
Saiendhra Vasudevan Moodley ◽  
Jonathan Ramodike ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Occupational Health ◽  
Health Worker ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Middle Income Countries

Abstract Background Health workers, in short supply in many low-and-middle-income countries, are at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study aimed to assess how South Africa, prepared to protect its health workers from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods This was a cross-sectional study design applying participatory action research in four provinces of South Africa. A semi-structured questionnaire and a qualitative observational HealthWISE walkthrough risk assessment was carried out to collect data on occupational safety and health (OSH) systems in 45 hospitals across four provinces to identify factors associated with health worker protection. Adapting the International Labour Organization (ILO) and World Health Organization (WHO) HealthWISE tool, we compiled compliance scores through walkthrough surveys. We used logistic regression to analyze the relationship between readiness indicators and the actual implementation of protective measures. Results We found that health facilities in all four provinces had SARS-CoV-2 plans for the general population but no comprehensive OHS plan for health workers. Provincial Departments of Health (PDoH) varied in how they were organized to respond: Provinces A and D had an OSH SARS-CoV-2 provincial coordinating team and a dedicated budget for occupational health; Province A had an occupational health doctor and nurse; while Province B had an occupational health nurse; Province A and D PDoHs had functional OSH committees; and Province D had conducted some health risk assessments specific to SARS-CoV-2. However, none of the assessed health facilities had an acceptable HealthWISE compliance score (≥ 75%) due to poor ventilation and inadequate administrative control measures. While the supply of personal protective equipment was adequate, it was often not worn properly. Our study found that having an OSH SARS-CoV-2 policy was significantly associated with higher personal protective equipment and ventilation scores. In addition, our analysis showed that hospitals with higher compliance scores had significantly lower infection rates (IRR 0.98; 95% CI: 0.97, 0.98). Conclusions Despite some initial preparedness, greater effort to protect health workers is still warranted. Low-and-middle-income countries may need to pay more attention to OSH systems and consider using tools, such as ILO/WHO HealthWISE tool, to protect health workers’ health.

scholarly journals MYTHS, ATTITUDE AND HEALTH SEEKING BEHAVIOR REGARDING MENTAL ILLNESS: SYNOPSIS OF ARTICLE REVIEW

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 1001-1007
Author(s):  
Minu S. Nair ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Health Seeking Behavior ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Seeking Behavior

Mental Health is an important aspect of health. It includes emotional, social and psychological well being , nurturing mental health helps to prevent mental health issues to a great extent. Mental health greatly influences the quality of life just like physical health. In low- and middle-income countries, more than 75% of people with mental, neurological and substance-use disorders receive no treatment for their condition - due to stigma, discrimination, harsh legislation and human-rights issues. Mental health does not enjoy the parity as that of physical health. The objective of the review is to determine the myths ,attitude and health seeking behavior prevalent among people across the globe. Therefore the studies from 2001 to 2020 are collected and reviewed.

scholarly journals Mental Health Issues in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island: Findings From the Healthy Aging Data Reports

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 95-95
Author(s):  
Taylor Jansen ◽  
Richard Chunga ◽  
Chae Man Lee ◽  
Shuangshuang Wang ◽  
Haowei Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Rhode Island ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Issues

Abstract Mental health issues in older adults are prevalent, yet often undetected or untreated and can contribute to poor physical health, increased disability, and higher mortality rates. The current study describes state and local community rates of mental health indicators of older adults 65+ in MA, NH, and RI. Data sources used to calculate rates were: the American Community Survey (2009-2013 RI, 2012-2016 MA and NH), the Medicare Current Beneficiary Summary File (2012-2013 RI, 2015 MA and NH), and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2012-2014 RI, 2013-2015 MA, and 2014-2016 NH). Small area estimation techniques were used to calculate age-sex adjusted community rates for more than 150 health indicators. This research examines disparities in rates for 3 mental health indicators depression, self-reported poor mental health, and self-reported poor/fair health status. Depression rates: MA 31.5% (19.91-48.82%), RI 30% (19.7-38.5%), and NH 28.8% (18.26-40.56%). Self-reported poor mental health: RI 7.5% (4.8-12.5%), MA 7.0% (2.10-16.59%), and NH 6.9% (3.42-10.13%). Self-reported fair/poor health: RI 20.4% (8.6-38.8%), MA 18.0%, (7.2-34.38%), and NH 16.5% (13.31-21.60%). Results showed variability in rates across states. MA had the highest rates of depression, the greatest differences in rates, and access to the most mental health providers. RI had the highest community rates for poor physical and mental health, and the highest percentage of residents age 85+. Understanding the distribution of community rates makes disparities evident, and may help practitioners and policymakers to allocate resources to areas of highest need. Research funded by the Tufts Health Plan Foundation.

scholarly journals High Carbonated Soft Drink Intake is Associated with Health Risk Behavior and Poor Mental Health among School-Going Adolescents in Six Southeast Asian Countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Supa Pengpid ◽  
Karl Peltzer
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Risk Behaviors ◽  
Soft Drink ◽  
Southeast Asian ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Southeast Asian Countries

Carbonated soft drink (CSD) intake has been associated with various risk behaviors in adolescents in high-income countries, but there is lack of evidence of this association in cross-nationally representative samples of school adolescents in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to assess the association between CSD intake, health risk behavior, and poor mental health behavior among school-going adolescents in six Southeast Asian countries. Cross-sectional national “Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS)” data from 36173 school-going adolescents from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, Thailand, and Timor-Leste were analyzed. Results indicate that across all six Southeast Asian countries, in the past 30 days 23.9% of study participants had consumed no CSD, 38.8% had consumed CSD <once/day, 19.9% once a day and 17.5% ≥ two times/day. In the final adjusted logistic regression model CSD intake was associated with increased odds of having been attacked, having sustained an injury, being in a physical fight, being bullied, school truancy, tobacco use, alcohol use, and lifetime drunkenness. In addition, the consumption of CSD ≥two times/day was associated with increased odds of ever used cannabis and ever used amphetamine. Higher intake of CSD was positively associated with a history of loneliness, anxiety, suicide ideation, suicide planning, and suicide attempts. CSD intake in low- and middle-income countries is associated with several health risk behaviors and poor mental health that are similar to those observed in high-income countries.

Internal migration

2021 ◽  
pp. 203-208
Author(s):  
Bharathram Sathur Raghuraman ◽  
Santosh Chaturvedi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Internal Migration ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Quality Health Care ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
The World ◽  
Quality Health ◽  
Internal Migrants ◽  
The Impact

This chapter reviews existing literature on the statistics of internal migration spanning across all the continents of the world to better understand the gigantic nature of this constantly occurring phenomenon especially in low- and middle-income countries. The chapter also focuses on the impact of internal migration on health by reviewing literature on phenomenon such as the ‘healthy migrant’. The possible implications of internal migration on mental health are detailed, including possible hypotheses underpinning the development of mental health issues in migrants and the chapter briefly reviews the possible resilient protective factors in migrants. Various studies on the impact of internal migration on the prevalence of common and severe mental illnesses from across the world are discussed in the text. The chapter ends with a section reviewing the existing literature on the problems faced by internal migrants in terms of availability and accessibility to quality health care and the need for macro-level healthcare reforms especially in developing nations such as India.

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