Explore the vast range of titles available.

Background Sustainability of evidence-based interventions (EBI) remains a challenge for public health community-based institutions. The conceptual definition of sustainment is not universally agreed upon by researchers and practitioners, and strategies utilized to facilitate sustainment of EBI are not consistently reported in published literature. Given these limitations in the field, a systematic review was conducted to summarize the existing evidence supporting discrete sustainment strategies for public health EBIs and facilitating and hindering factors of sustainment. Methods We searched PsychINFO, Embase, ProQuest, PubMed, and Google Scholar. The initial search was run in March 2017 and an update was done in March 2019. Study eligibility criteria included (a) public health evidence-based interventions, (b) conducted in the community or community-based settings, and (c) reported outcomes related to EBI sustainment. Details characterizing the study setting, design, target population, and type of EBI sustained were extracted. Results A total of 26 articles published from 2004 to 2019 were eligible for data extraction. Overall, the importance of sustainability was acknowledged across all of the studies. However, only seven studies presented a conceptual definition of sustainment explicitly within the text. Six of the included studies reported specific sustainment strategies that were used to facilitate the sustainment of EBI. Only three of the studies reported their activities related to sustainment by referencing a sustainment framework. Multiple facilitators (i.e., adaptation/alignment, funding) and barriers (i.e., limited funding, limited resources) were identified as influencing EBI sustainment. The majority ( n  = 20) of the studies were conducted in high-income countries. Studies from low-income countries were mostly naturalistic. All of the studies from low-income countries reported lack of funding as a hindrance to sustainment. Implication for dissemination and implementation research Literature focused on sustainment of public health EBIs should present an explicit definition of the concept. Better reporting of the framework utilized, steps followed, and adaptations made to sustain the intervention might contribute to standardizing and developing the concept. Moreover, encouraging longitudinal dissemination and implementation (D&I) research especially in low-income countries might help strengthen D&I research capacity in public health settings.

Purpose of Review To summarize recent findings in global mental health along several domains including socioeconomic determinants, inequities, funding, and inclusion in global mental health research and practice. Recent Findings Mental illness continues to disproportionately impact vulnerable populations and treatment coverage continues to be low globally. Advances in integrating mental health care and adopting task-shifting are accompanied by implementation challenges. The mental health impact of recent global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geo-political events, and environmental change is likely to persist and require coordinated care approaches for those in need of psychosocial support. Inequities also exist in funding for global mental health and there has been gradual progress in terms of building local capacity for mental health care programs and research. Lastly, there is an increasing effort to include people with lived experiences of mental health in research and policy shaping efforts. Summary The field of global mental health will likely continue to be informed by evidence and perspectives originating increasingly from low- and middle-income countries along with ongoing global events and centering of relevant stakeholders.

Background Depression is one of the commonest mental disorders in primary care but is poorly identified. The objective of this review was to determine the level of detection of depression by primary care clinicians and its determinants in studies from low- to middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted using PubMed, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILAC, and AJOL with no restriction of year of publication. Risk of bias within studies was evaluated with the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP). “Gold standard” diagnosis for the purposes of this review was based on the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9; cutoff scores of 5 and 10), other standard questionnaires and interview scales or expert diagnosis. Meta-analysis was conducted excluding studies on special populations. Analyses of pooled data were stratified by diagnostic approaches. Results A total of 3159 non-duplicate publications were screened. Nine publications, 2 multi-country studies, and 7 single-country studies, making 12 country-level reports, were included. Overall methodological quality of the studies was good. Depression detection was 0.0% in four of the twelve reports and < 12% in another five. PHQ-9 was the main tool used: the pooled detection in two reports that used PHQ-9 at a cutoff point of 5 (combined sample size = 1426) was 3.9% (95% CI = 2.3%, 5.5%); in four reports that used PHQ-9 cutoff score of 10 (combined sample size = 5481), the pooled detection was 7.0% (95% CI = 3.9%, 10.2%). Severity of depression and suicidality were significantly associated with detection. Conclusions While the use of screening tools is an important limitation, the extremely low detection of depression by primary care clinicians poses a serious threat to scaling up mental healthcare in LMICs. Interventions to improve detection should be prioritized. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42016039704 .

Background In low-and middle-income countries, integration of mental health into primary care is recommended to reduce the treatment gap. In this study we explored barriers to initial and ongoing engagement of people with severe mental disorders (SMD) in rural Ethiopia after implementing integrated primary mental healthcare services. Methods A qualitative approach was employed. In-depth interviews were conducted with 50 key informants: service users/caregivers engaged with care ( n  = 17), non-engagers and their caregivers ( n  = 10), those who had initiated treatment but disengaged and their caregivers ( n  = 12) and primary healthcare professionals ( n  = 11). Two focus group discussions were conducted with community health workers (10 per group). Thematic analysis was used. Results Most respondents reported improved access to care, usually equated with medication, and were motivated to remain engaged due to experienced benefits of care. However, four main barriers to engagement emerged. (1) Poverty: resulting in inability to pay for medication and undermining vital social support affected engagement for all respondents. (2) Unreliable medication supplies and lack of second line options for inadequate response or intolerable side-effects. (3) The long-term nature of the illness: expectations of cure, stigma of chronic illness, low awareness about the illness and treatment and declining social support over time. (4) The nature of SMD: difficulty conveying the person when acutely disturbed and no flexibility for proactive outreach or legal frameworks to provide care when patients lacked capacity. In those who never engaged, geographical inaccessibility was an important barrier. Alternative cultural explanations for illness were only mentioned as a barrier only by two of the respondents. Conclusion Economic interventions may be needed to support ongoing engagement in care for people with SMD. Systems of care for chronic illness need to be strengthened in combination with legal frameworks. Expanded options for affordable and effective medication and psychosocial interventions are required for person-centred care.

There are 10 million admissions to U.S. prisons and jails each year. More than half of those admitted have mental health problems. The goal of this article is to inform: (1) implementation of evidence-based mental health treatments in prisons and jails, an important effort that needs more evidence to guide it; (2) psychotherapy and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) training efforts, especially in low-resource settings. A randomized hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial of group IPT for major depressive disorder (MDD) in state prisons found that IPT increased rates of MDD remission and lowered posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms relative to prison treatment as usual. The trial used prison counselors, only some of whom had prior psychotherapy training/experience, to deliver IPT. IPT treatment adherence was high (96%), but trial training and supervision were too costly to be scalable outside the trial. The current article reports results from a planned qualitative analysis of 460 structured implementation and supervision documents in that trial to describe training and supervision processes and lessons learned, inform training recommendations, and facilitate future work to optimize training and supervision for under-resourced settings. Themes identified in implementation and supervision process notes reflected: work on psychotherapy basics (reflective listening, focusing on emotions, open-ended questions, specific experiences), IPT case conceptualization (forming a conceptualization, what is and is not therapeutic work, structure and limit setting, structure vs. flexibility), IPT techniques (enhancing social support, role plays, communication analysis), psychotherapy processes (alliance repair, managing group processes), and managing difficult situations (avoidance, specific clients, challenging work settings). Counselors were receptive to feedback; some relied on study supervisors for support in managing stressful prison working conditions. Findings can be used to make future training and supervision more efficient. Based on our results, we recommend that initial and refresher training focus on IPT case conceptualization, steps for addressing each IPT problem area, and reflective listening. We also recommend supervision through at least counselors' first two rounds of groups. More low-cost, scalable training methods are needed to get mental health treatment to individuals who need it most, who are often served in challenging, low-resource settings such as prisons. This is a mental health access and equity issue. The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01685294).

Pregnancy and motherhood increase the risk for long-term exposure to physical, psychological and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV; sexual or physical violence by current or former partners). Pregnant women and mothers with children under 5 who have experienced IPV exhibit poor physical and mental health and obstetric outcomes. Depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are the two most common mental health consequences of IPV. There is good evidence that women with good social support have better mental health and IPV outcomes. This study will develop MOthers' AdvocateS In the Community (MOSAIC) Plus intervention for pregnant women and mothers with children under the age of 5. MOSAIC uses trained mentor mothers and has been found to reduce subsequent IPV. This study will blend the original MOSAIC intervention with principles of interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) to address symptoms of depression, PTSD, and prevent subsequent risk of IPV. We will conduct a pilot randomized trial of the MOSAIC Plus intervention compared to the traditional MOSAIC intervention to determine its feasibility and acceptability. Study samples include focus groups (n = 36), open trial (n = 15), and a randomized pilot trial including 40 pregnant women and mothers with children under 5 who report current/recent of IPV and elevated symptoms of maternal depression and/or PTSD. The study's primary outcome will be changes in maternal depressive and PTSD symptoms. Secondary outcomes will include reduction in subsequent IPV, improvement in functioning, changes in social support and effectiveness in obtaining resources. This is a formative study evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of a mentor mother intervention for pregnant women and mothers with children under 5. Promising results of this study will be used for a larger, fully-powered randomized trial evaluating the effectiveness of a mentor mother intervention in preventing subsequent IPV and reducing depressive and PTSD symptoms in this population.

Background Data-driven decision-making is an implementation strategy to improve system performance and health outcomes for individuals with substance use and mental health needs interacting with criminal-legal systems. We currently have limited understanding of how agencies define and use data in their decision-making processes. A qualitative study was conducted with agency leaders from jails, probation and parole, and community mental health and substance use service agencies to characterize (1) how respondents defined data and data use, (2) current level of data use for decision-making, (3) data capacity needs, and (4) agency perspectives on best practices and their recommendations. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted with 68 mental health, substance use, jail, and probation leaders from a representative group of 52 U.S. counties from December 2020-March 2022. Data were analyzed using applied thematic analysis. Results Four themes emerged. For defining data and data use, respondents characterized their current level of data use as rudimentary. In terms of current level of data use, individual-level health or legal information needed to coordinate services, and risk prediction scores were used over system measures. Data capacity needs identified as capacity to track and share data across agencies and inadequate data management. In terms of best practices and agency recommendations, participants highlighted the need for data sharing, standardized data management systems, data dashboards, and in-house data expertise. Conclusion Findings from this study highlight the limited capacity of counties to implement data-driven decision making in mental health, substance use, and criminal legal settings. Addressing gaps in infrastructure, staffing, and data expertise will require technical assistance and targeted policy incentives. System-level metrics and benchmarks, such as the cascade of care, are essential for evaluating cross-agency performance and improving outcomes for individuals with mental health needs.

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a significant public health problem often associated with serious mental health and physical health implications. Substance use disorders (SUDs) are one of the most common comorbidities among women with IPV, increasing risk of subsequent IPV. The current study examined the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a brief computerized intervention to reduce alcohol and drug use among women with IPV. Fifty women with recent IPV and alcohol and drug use risk were recruited from domestic violence shelters and randomized to the experimental computerized intervention or to an attention and time control condition. The primary outcome was percent heavy drinking or drug using days in 3 month increments over the 6 months after leaving the shelter. Receipt of substance use services and IPV severity were evaluated as secondary outcomes. The computerized intervention was feasible and acceptable, with high (n = 20, 80%) completion rates, engagement with the intervention, and satisfaction scores. As expected in this pilot trial, there were no significant differences between conditions in percent heavy drinking/drug using days or receipt of substance use services and large individual differences in outcomes. For example, receipt of substance use services decreased by a mean of 0.05 times/day from the baseline to the 6-month time period in the control condition (range -1.00 to +0.55) and increased by a mean of 0.06 times/day in the intervention condition (range -0.13 to +0.89). There were large decreases in IPV severity over time in both conditions, but directions of differences favored the control condition for IPV severity. A computerized intervention to reduce the risk of alcohol/drug use and subsequent IPV is feasible and acceptable among residents of a domestic violence shelter. A fully powered trial is needed to conclusively evaluate outcomes.

The focus of discussion in addressing the treatment gap is often on biomedical services. However, community resources can benefit health service scale-up in resource-constrained settings. These assets can be captured systematically through resource mapping, a method used in social action research. Resource mapping can be informative in developing complex mental health interventions, particularly in settings with limited formal mental health resources. We employed resource mapping within the Programme for Improving Mental Health Care (PRIME), to systematically gather information on community assets that can support integration of mental healthcare into primary care in rural Ethiopia. A semi-structured instrument was administered to key informants. Community resources were identified for all 58 sub-districts of the study district. The potential utility of these resources for the provision of mental healthcare in the district was considered. The district is rich in community resources: There are over 150 traditional healers, 164 churches and mosques, and 401 religious groups. There were on average 5 eddir groups (traditional funeral associations) per sub-district. Social associations and 51 micro-finance institutions were also identified. On average, two traditional bars were found in each sub-district. The eight health centres and 58 satellite clinics staffed by Health Extension Workers (HEWs) represented all the biomedical health services in the district. In addition the Health Development Army (HDA) are community volunteers who support health promotion and prevention activities. The plan for mental healthcare integration in this district was informed by the resource mapping. Community and religious leaders, HEWs, and HDA may have roles in awareness-raising, detection and referral of people with mental illness, improving access to medical care, supporting treatment adherence, and protecting human rights. The diversity of community structures will be used to support rehabilitation and social reintegration. Alcohol use was identified as a target disorder for community-level intervention.

Background Integration of mental healthcare into non-specialist settings is advocated to expand access to care for people with severe mental disorders (SMD) in low-income countries. However, the impact upon equitable access for disenfranchised members of society has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to (1) estimate contact coverage for SMD of a new service in primary healthcare (PHC) in a rural Ethiopian district, and (2) investigate equity of access for rural residents, women, people with physical impairments and people of low socio-economic status. Methods Community key informants were trained to identify and refer people with probable SMD in Sodo district, south-central Ethiopia, using vignettes of typical presentations. Records of those referred to the new PHC-based service were linked to healthcare records to identify people who engaged with care and non-engagers over a 6 month period. Standardised interviews by psychiatric nurses were used to confirm the diagnosis in those attending PHC. Non-engagers were visited in their homes and administered the Psychosis Symptom Questionnaire. Socio-economic status, discrimination, disability, substance use, social support and distance to the nearest health facility were measured. Results Contact coverage for the new service was estimated to be 81.3% (300 engaged out of 369 probable cases of SMD identified). Reimbursement for transport and time may have elevated coverage estimates. In the fully adjusted multivariable model, rural residents had 3.81 increased odds (95% CI 1.22, 11.89) of not accessing care, in part due to geographical distance from the health facility (odds ratio 3.37 (1.12, 10.12)) for people living more than 180 min away. There was no association with lower socioeconomic status, female gender or physical impairment. Higher levels of functional impairment were associated with increased odds of engagement. Amongst non-engagers, the most frequently endorsed barriers were thinking the problem would get better by itself and concerns about the cost of treatment. Conclusion Integrating mental healthcare into primary care can achieve high levels of coverage in a rural African setting, which is equitable with respect to gender and socio-economic status. Service outreach into the community may be needed to achieve better contact coverage for rural residents.