scholarly journals Mental Health and Psychosocial Support During COVID-19: A Review of Health Guidelines in Sub-Saharan Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keneilwe Molebatsi ◽  
Otsetswe Musindo ◽  
Vuyokazi Ntlantsana ◽  
Grace Nduku Wambua
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
World Health ◽  
Mental Health Needs ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Ssa Countries

The COVID-19 pandemic brought in its wake an unforeseen mental health crisis. The World Health Organization published a guideline as a way of supporting mental health and psychosocial well-being of different groups during this pandemic. The impact of the pandemic has pushed governments to put measures in place to curb not only the physical health of individuals but their mental health and psychosocial well-being as well. The aim of our paper was to review mental health guidelines of some Sub Saharan African (SSA) countries: (i) to assess their appropriateness for the immediate mental health needs at this time, (ii) to form as a basis for ongoing reflection as the current pandemic evolves. Guidelines were retrieved openly from internet search and some were requested from mental health practitioners in various SSA countries. The authors designed a semi structured questionnaire, as a self-interview guide to gain insight on the experience of COVID-19 from experts in the mental health sector in the various countries. While we used a document analysis approach to analyze the data, we made use of the Mental Health Preparedness and Action Framework to discuss our findings. We received health or mental health guidelines from 10 SSA countries. Cameroon, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda all had mental health guidelines or mental health component in their health guidelines. Our experts highlight that the mental health needs of the people are of concern during this pandemic but have not been given priority. They go further to suggest that the mental health needs are slightly different during this time and requiring a different approach especially considering the measures taken to curb the spread of disease. We conclude that despite the provision of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support guidelines, gaps still exist making them inadequate to meet the mental health needs of their communities.

Mental health needs of transgender women, gay men, and other men who have sex with men across sub-Saharan Africa.

2020 ◽  
pp. 153-166
Author(s):  
Carolyn Brown ◽  
Keletso Makofane ◽  
Kevin Rebe ◽  
L. Leigh Ann van der Merwe ◽  
Bhekie Sithole ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Transgender Women ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Mental Health Needs ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Sex With Men

scholarly journals Transgenerational Trauma and Mental Health Needs among Armenian Genocide Descendants

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (19) ◽  
pp. 10554
Author(s):  
Alissa Der Sarkissian ◽  
Jill D. Sharkey
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Armenian Genocide ◽  
Transgenerational Trauma ◽  
Cultural Narratives ◽  
Mental Health Needs ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

The trauma of a genocide can be transmitted to subsequent generations though familial mental health, sociopolitical trauma, and cultural narratives, thereby impacting mental health and well-being. Understanding specific mechanisms that are unique to each ethnic group impacted by genocide illuminates cultural, sociopolitical, and individual factors related to the transmission. For the Armenian community, the unresolved historical loss of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, with the threat of acculturation for such a large diasporic population, a continued denial by the perpetrators, as well as subsequent generations’ refugee experiences, may further exasperate the impact of transgenerational trauma from the genocide. This literature review explores the mental health needs of Armenian youth in the current sociopolitical context and provides implications for how schools and communities may use this knowledge to inform supports that center Armenian community healing. Future directions for research are also discussed.

scholarly journals Participants’ experiences of engagement in community-centred mental health and psychosocial support programmes in conflict-affected communities within sub-Saharan Africa: a qualitative systematic review

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. e005388
Author(s):  
Cleothia Caroline Alford ◽  
Yuko Otake
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Sub Saharan

BackgroundSub-Saharan Africa (SSA) experienced a burden of organised violence within 18 low-income and middle-income countries and hosted over 33 million displaced persons in 2019. Community-centred mental health and psychosocial support (cc-MHPSS) programmes may provide insights to address the psychosocial well-being of conflict-affected individuals, though literature is mixed on community impact. This review aimed to synthesise qualitative evidence to understand the kind of experiences conflict-affected participants have and how these experiences occur during cc-MHPSS programme engagement in SSA.MethodsWe searched Global Health, MEDLINE, Psychological Information Database, Embase Classic+Embase, Social Policy and Practice, Web of Science, Africa-Wide Information, PubMed and Global Index Medicus databases. Eligible publications qualitatively reported on conflict-affected participants’ experiences of engagement in cc-MHPSS programmes. Data were extracted to summarise publication characteristics. The results were synthesised using a thematic synthesis analysis.ResultsThe search yielded 953 records, of which 20 publications were included in the review. Included publications were located in Rwanda (n=8), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (n=3), Mozambique (n=3), Sierra Leone (n=1), Ghana (n=1), Uganda (n=1), Zimbabwe (n=1) and South Sudan (n=1); one publication included three countries (Sierra Leone, Liberia and Uganda). Findings include the themes of (1) the experience of change in time and space, and (2) the sharing and silence of participants’ experiences. Findings demonstrate that elements transferred by participants from a cc-MHPSS programme to a natural community, and vice versa, contribute to participants’ healing. Elements’ transfer, or non-transfer, was often related to participants’ disclosure, or non-disclosure, of experiences.DiscussionFindings suggest that there are elements from a cc-MHPSS programme and a wider community which aid participant engagement and work therapeutically. More rigorous research is needed concerning how participants experience change during cc-MHPSS programme engagement in proximity to their relationship with the wider community.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020197300.

scholarly journals Innovations in Addressing Mental Health Needs in Humanitarian Settings: A Complexity Informed Action Research Case Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Parrish-Sprowl ◽  
John Parrish-Sprowl ◽  
Samia Alajlouni
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Mental Health Needs ◽  
Action Research Project ◽  
Humanitarian Settings

Addressing mental health challenges in humanitarian settings, where needs are many and resources are scarce, requires innovative solutions. In this manuscript, we describe a quantum complexity informed intervention, Communication for Whole Health (CWH), developed at the request of a large Jordanian healthcare NGO to address mental health needs of patients and staff. In the humanitarian aid context, this health domain is referred to by the acronym MHPSS (mental health and psychosocial support). The focus of this participatory action research project, presented here as a case study, was the collaborative elaboration of an MHPSS intervention in an urban primary healthcare clinic serving mostly Syrian refugees. The intervention capitalizes on the synergistic effects generated from the systemic nature of communication where every interaction is an intervention, and the health implications of research demonstrating communication is bioactive. Rather than treating mental health as an add-on medical specialty targeting patients with “psychiatric disorders,” systemic MHPSS starts from the premise that everyone has mental health, which is inextricably linked to physical and social health. Emphasis is on integrating awareness of mental health as part of whole health and taking advantage of every interaction to facilitate well-being for patients and staff. The intervention facilitated the transformation of the communication ecology of the clinic from a culture of reactivity to a culture of receptivity by strengthening communication resources and practices. Staff reported feeling more empowered to help patients and displayed increased motivation to find innovative ways to use available resources. They felt better equipped to manage their own stress response and support coworkers. Patients learned basic stress management skills, helping them better manage chronic health conditions, and reported sharing this information with family members. Staff reported many examples of patients responding positively to interventions to reduce patient reactivity, leading to beneficial behavior change and improved health outcomes. Results suggest a systemic MHPSS approach can contribute to ameliorating health inequities by expanding resources for patients and staff, empowering them to act into their current circumstances to support whole health. The CWH approach has potential in similar contexts to address mental health needs in a cost-effective and impactful way.

scholarly journals Supporting the emotional needs of young people in care: a qualitative study of foster carer perspectives

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. e033317
Author(s):  
Rachel M Hiller ◽  
Sarah L Halligan ◽  
Richard Meiser-Stedman ◽  
Elizabeth Elliott ◽  
Emily Rutter-Eley
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Depth Information ◽  
Emotional Needs ◽  
Mental Health Systems ◽  
Mental Health Needs ◽  
Qualitative Focus Groups

ObjectivesYoung people who have been removed from their family home and placed in care have often experienced maltreatment and there is well-developed evidence of poor psychological outcomes. Once in care, foster carers often become the adult who provides day-to-day support, yet we know little about how they provide this support or the challenges to and facilitators of promoting better quality carer–child relationships. The aim of this study was to understand how carers support the emotional needs of the young people in their care and their views on barriers and opportunities for support.Design and participantsParticipants were 21 UK foster carers, recruited from a local authority in England. They were predominantly female (86%), aged 42–65 years old and ranged from those who were relatively new to the profession (<12 months’ experience) to those with over 30 years of experience as a carer. We ran three qualitative focus groups to gather in-depth information about their views on supporting their foster children’s emotional well-being. Participants also completed short questionnaires about their training experiences and sense of competence.ResultsOnly half of the sample strongly endorsed feeling competent in managing the emotional needs of their foster children. While all had completed extensive training, especially on attachment, diagnosis-specific training for mental health problems (eg, trauma-related distress, depression) was less common. Thematic analysis showed consistent themes around the significant barriers carers faced navigating social care and mental health systems, and mixed views around the best way to support young people, particularly those with complex mental health needs and in relation to reminders of their early experiences.ConclusionsFindings have important implications for practice and policy around carer training and support, as well as for how services support the mental health needs of young people in care.

Evaluating the impact of participatory art projects for people with mental health needs

2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 638-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Hacking ◽  
Jenny Secker ◽  
Helen Spandler ◽  
Lyn Kent ◽  
Jo Shenton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Mental Health Needs ◽  
Participatory Art ◽  
The Impact

Cross-Border Funding and Microfinance Mission Drift: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 20-40
Author(s):  
Akem Forkusam
Keyword(s):  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Mission Drift ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
The Social ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Different Sources ◽  
Ssa Countries

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has become the top priority for international funders and they are now increasing their cross-border funding to microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the region. This foreign funding is considered an additional source of capital for MFIs in the region who are facing difficulties in meeting the demand of the poor. However, these funds are provided by public and private funders who each have different motives. The paper examines the impact of these different sources of funding on microfinance performance and mission drift in SSA, which is the world’s poorest region. The study utilizes data from 212 MFIs in 30 SSA countries accessed over a three-year period (i.e. 2007, 2009, and 2011). The findings show that cross-border funding does not affect either the social or financial performance of MFIs when time and country effects are accounted for.

Concept of Mental Health and Disease for Practical Implementation: A Case-Based Teaching for Undergraduate Students—Part I of Basic and Applied Psychology

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (02) ◽  
pp. 082-089 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajesh Ramkunwar Yadav
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Lesson Plan ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Applied Psychology ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Case Based

Abstract Background Mental health has been conceptualised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as not just the absence of illness but as a state of well-being in which the individual can cope with normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and make a contribution to the community. To achieve this or to explain it to the stakeholders, a doctor needs to be well versed with the normal functioning of the human mind. Homoeopathic doctors must have this knowledge to help them understand and treat their patients or advise prevention. Lack of this knowledge in the undergraduate years fails to suitably equip them, thereby hampering their own growth and clinical functions. These papers (in two parts) will deal with the teaching of basic and applied psychology and abnormal psychology and psychiatry to homoeopathic undergraduates. Aim The main aim of this study is to teach homoeopathic undergraduate students the basic psychological concepts required for understanding human behaviour through cased based presentations Methodology Plan of teaching psychology to undergraduate students with a case-based approach was formulated by the Psychiatric Department of Dr. M.L. Dhawale Homoeopathic Institute (MLDMHI), Palghar. Postgraduate students prepared topics with the help of a lesson plan template under the guidance of faculty. Peer evaluation along with student feedback helped to gauge the impact of the lectures and to design improvements. Results Thirteen topics, one each week, covered the assigned portion for basic psychology. Reports of around 30 students and 2 lecturers for each lecture over 3 years were evaluated. These indicated satisfaction with contents and desire to have more such lectures. Multiple choice questions post lectures allowed to identify the changes in knowledge and interest of students in the subject. Discussion Basic and comprehensive knowledge of psychology will allow students/physicians to look at the cases not only from the view point of physical antecedents but also from a more holistic and comprehensive point of view. Conclusion Educational ethos demands the incorporation of case-based teaching in undergraduates especially in the teaching of psychology, to expose the shades of normal and abnormal states of mind through case-based teachings.

Educational Psychology in Sub-Saharan Africa

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irma Eloff
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Educational Psychology ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Theoretical Development ◽  
Strength Based ◽  
Global Goal ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Educational Psychological

Educational psychology in Africa has a rich and colorful history. In sub-Saharan Africa educational psychology, as both a profession and a scientific field, is particularly vibrant. The emergence of educational psychology in sub-Saharan Africa shows how the science and the profession has pirouetted in ways that could support mental health and learning in African contexts in innovative ways. While emanating within Western cultures, educational psychology has been adapted and, perhaps, been deeply enriched in the African context. After the initial establishment of educational psychology in sub-Saharan Africa, three broad eras of theoretical development are evident: (a) the era of ecosystems and community, (b) the era of inclusion, and (c) the era of strength-based and positive approaches. During the era of ecosystems and community, emergent theories challenged the dominance of the individualist paradigms in educational psychology and provided broadened conceptualizations of the factors that impact mental health and effective learning. The role of communities was also given prominence. During the era of inclusion, the medical model was challenged as the primary foundation for legitimizing educational psychological assessments and interventions. Educational psychologists moved toward rights-based approaches that championed the rights of vulnerable populations and the creation of inclusive learning environments. The inclusion of children with disabilities influenced policy development in multiple sub-Saharan countries and expanded the dialogues on how best to support learning for all children. During the era of strength-based and positive approaches, theoretical and pragmatic approaches that forefront strengths, capacities, and possibilities started to develop. This era signified yet another departure from previous hegemonic paradigms in that educational psychology moved beyond the individual level, toward more systemic approaches, but then also used approaches that focused more on strengths and the mobilization of resources within these systems to address challenges and to optimize educational psychological support. These eras in the development of educational psychology in sub-Saharan Africa created optimal opportunities to respond to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In terms of SDGs, educational psychology responds primarily to Global Goal 3 (health and well-being) and Global Goal 4 (quality education). At the same time it supports the Global Goals of no poverty (1), gender equality (5), decent work and economic growth (8), reduced inequalities (10), sustainable cities and communities (11), and building partnerships for the goals (17).

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