Community, facility and individual level impact of integrating mental health screening and treatment into the primary healthcare system in Sehore district, Madhya Pradesh, India

ESSENCE: An Implementation Research Program to Scale Up Depression Care in Rural Communities

BACKGROUND

Task sharing may involve training nonspecialist health workers (NSHWs) to deliver brief mental health interventions. This approach is promising for reducing the global mental health treatment gap. However, capacity is limited for training large cadres of frontline workers in low- and middle-income countries, hindering uptake of these interventions at scale.

METHODS

The ESSENCE (enabling translation of science to service to enhance depression care) project in Madhya Pradesh, India, aims to address these challenges through two sequential randomized controlled trials. First, a training trial will evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of digital training, compared with conventional face-to-face training, in achieving clinical competency of NSHWs in delivering an intervention for depression. This initial trial will be followed by an implementation trial aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a remote enhanced implementation support, compared with routine implementation support, in addressing barriers to delivery of depression care in primary care facilities.

RESULTS

This project involved developing and pilot testing a scalable smartphone-based program for training NSHWs to deliver a brief psychological intervention for depression screening. This initial research guided a randomized trial of a digital training approach with NSHWs to evaluate the effectiveness of this approach. This trial will be followed by a cluster-randomized trial to evaluate the effectiveness of remote implementation support in ensuring efficient delivery of depression care in primary care facilities.

NEXT STEPS

Findings from these trials may inform sustainable training and implementation support models to integrate depression care into primary care for scale-up in resource-constrained settings.

Stress Alleviation Methods for community-Based Health ActiVists (SAMBHAV): Development of a digital program for stress reduction for community health workers in rural India

Background

Community health workers (CHWs) face high levels of stress (both professional and personal) and risk of burnout, highlighting the need for efforts to promote their mental health and well-being. This study seeks to develop a digital stress reduction program for CHWs in rural India.

Methods

A stepwise design process was employed to adapt and digitize the evidence-based World Health Organization's Self-Help Plus (SH+) intervention for addressing psychological distress among CHWs in Madhya Pradesh, India. This involved participatory design workshops with CHWs to ensure that the digital stress reduction intervention would be relevant for their needs and the local culture and context. Small groups of CHWs reviewed the adapted program content, allowing the research team to make refinements such as simplifying language, tailoring content to the local setting, and ensuring that program materials are both interesting and relevant. Simultaneously, the research team digitized the content, leveraging a combination of video and graphical content, and uploaded it to the Sangath Learning Management System, a digital platform accessible on a smartphone app.

Results

In total, 18 CHWs contributed to the adaptation of the SH+ content and digital intervention development. Participants commented on finding some terms difficult to follow and recommended simplifying the language and providing detailed explanations. Participants offered positive feedback on the adapted content, expressing that they found the examples covered in the material both relatable and relevant to their own personal experiences at home and in the workplace. By combining participants' insights and comments with feedback from content experts, it was possible to finalize a digital Hindi version of the SH+ intervention for CHWs in rural India.

Conclusions

This study is timely given the continued detrimental impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and offers a promising and potentially scalable digital program to alleviate psychological distress among frontline health workers.

Experience of primary healthcare workers in using the mobile app-based WHO mhGAP intervention guide in detection and treatment of people with mental disorders: A qualitative study in Nepal

This study assessed perception and experience of trained primary health care workers in using a mobile app-based version of the WHO mental health gap action programme (mhGAP) Intervention Guide in the assessment and management of people with mental health conditions in primary care in Nepal. A qualitative study was conducted with primary healthcare workers who were trained in using the WHO mhGAP mobile application in Jhapa, a district in eastern Nepal. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 15 healthcare workers (3 females and 12 males) nine months after the training. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and translated into English for the thematic qualitative data analysis. Health care workers (HCWs) found the mobile app helpful to verify and confirm their assessment and diagnosis. The other benefits reported by the participants were: bringing uniformity in diagnosis and management of mental health conditions across primary healthcare facilities; reminding the HCWs specific assessment questions; creating awareness on the importance of psychosocial intervention; improving the interaction between patients and service providers; and the importance of follow-up care. Despite these advantages, lack of clarity about report submission modality; lack of electricity or internet connectivity; and low technology literacy among older HCWs were some of the barriers in using the app. The major recommendation made by the HCWs for the guide included revision of the assessment process and system; inclusion of a chat function with supervisors; minimizing the amount of patients' data to be collected in the app; and addition of conversion and anxiety disorders to the app. This study concludes that the mobile decision support application could be acceptable and feasible in primary care settings if the suggested modifications are incorporated, in addition to addressing other systemic issues facing the primary care-based delivery of mental health services.

People with mental illness stigmatize mental illness less: A comparison study between a hospital-based sample of people with mental illness and a non-clinical general population sample in urban India

Evidence shows that stigma negatively influences the quality of life of persons with severe mental illness. Nonetheless, stigma towards mental illness is lower among persons with a lived experience of mental illness compared to the rest of the population. Understanding the association between stigma of mental illness and the mental status of individuals living in urban India and whether this association is moderated by demographic factors opens a new avenue for prevention of social exclusion. Persons diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or severe unipolar depression (cases, n  =  647) were recruited from among hospital patients in New Delhi between November 2011 and June 2012 and matched with non-psychiatric urban dwellers by age, sex, and location of residence (controls, n  =  649). Propensity score matching with multivariable linear regression was used to test whether stigma towards mental illness, measured by a 13-item Stigma Questionnaire, differed between cases and controls. Cases reported significantly lower stigma scores than controls (b  =  -0.50, p < 0.0001). The strength of the association between mental illness and stigma was not affected after controlling for age, caste, sex, education, and employment status, while wealth marginally reduced the strength of the association. These findings suggest individuals with a lived experience of mental illness, in New Delhi, India, may be more tolerant towards mental illness and support the need to involve persons with lived experience in the development and implementation of health promotional campaigns and programs aimed at reducing stigma towards mental illness.

Community-based rehabilitation intervention for people with schizophrenia in Ethiopia (RISE) cluster-randomised controlled trial: An exploratory analysis of impact on food insecurity, underweight, alcohol use disorder and depressive symptoms

We evaluated the effectiveness of community-based rehabilitation (CBR) in reducing depressive symptoms, alcohol use disorder, food insecurity and underweight in people with schizophrenia. This cluster-randomised controlled trial was conducted in a rural district of Ethiopia. Fifty-four sub-districts were allocated in a 1:1 ratio to the facility-based care [FBC] plus CBR arm and the FBC alone arm. Lay workers delivered CBR over 12 months. We assessed food insecurity (self-reported hunger), underweight (BMI< 18.5 kg/m2), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) and alcohol use disorder (AUDIT ≥ 8) at 6 and 12 months. Seventy-nine participants with schizophrenia in 24 sub-districts were assigned to CBR plus FBC and 87 participants in 24 sub-districts were assigned to FBC only. There was no evidence of an intervention effect on food insecurity (aOR 0.52, 95% CI 0.16-1.67; p = 0.27), underweight (aOR 0.44, 95% CI 0.17-1.12; p = 0.08), alcohol use disorder (aOR 0.82, 95% CI 0.24-2.74; p = 0.74) or depressive symptoms (adjusted mean difference - 0.06, 95% CI -1.35, 1.22; p = 0.92). Psychosocial interventions in low-resource settings should support access to treatment amongst people with schizophrenia, and further research should explore how impacts on economic, physical and mental health outcomes can be achieved.

Interventions to increase help-seeking for mental health care in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review

Mental health problems are a significant and growing cause of morbidity worldwide. Despite the availability of evidence-based interventions, most people experiencing mental health problems remain untreated. This treatment gap is particularly large in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and is due to both supply-side and demand-side barriers. The aim of this systematic review is to identify and synthesise the evidence on interventions to improve help-seeking for mental health problems in LMICs. The protocol was registered a priori (Registration number: CRD42021255635). We searched eight databases using terms based on three concepts: 'mental health/illness' AND 'help-seeking' AND 'LMICs'; and included all age groups and mental health problems. Forty-two papers were eligible and included in this review. Intervention components were grouped into three categories following the steps in the help-seeking process: (1) raising mental health awareness among the general population (e.g., distribution of printed or audio-visual materials), (2) identification of individuals experiencing mental health problems (e.g., community-level screening or detection), and (3) promoting help-seeking among people in need of mental health care (e.g., sending reminders). The majority of interventions (80%) included components in a combination of the aforementioned categories. Most studies report positive outcomes, yet results on the effectiveness is mixed, with a clear trend in favour of interventions with components from more than one category. Ten out of 42 studies (24%) yielded a statistically significant effect of the intervention on help-seeking; and all targeted a combination of the aforementioned categories (i.e., raising awareness, identification and help-seeking promotion). Only six studies (14%) focused on children and adolescents. Due to the limited number of robust studies done in LMICs and the heterogeneity of study designs, outcomes and components used, no definite conclusions can be drawn with regards to the effects of individual strategies or content of the interventions.

Integrating Depression and Alcohol Use Care Into Primary Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Evaluation of the effectiveness of integration of depression and alcohol use disorder care into primary health care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is limited. The authors aimed to quantify the effectiveness of integrating mental health care into primary care by examining depression and alcohol use disorder outcomes. The study updates a previous systematic review summarizing research on care integration in LMICs.

METHODS

Following PRISMA guidelines, the authors included studies from the previous review and studies published from 2017 to 2020 that included adults with alcohol use disorder or depression. Studies were evaluated for type of integration model with the typology developed previously. A meta-analysis using a random-effects model to assess effectiveness of integrated interventions was conducted. Meta-regression analyses to examine the impact of study characteristics on depression and alcohol use disorder outcomes were conducted.

RESULTS

In total, 49 new articles were identified, and 74 articles from the previous and current studies met inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. Overall random effect sizes were 0.28 (95% CI=0.22-0.35) and 0.17 (95% CI=0.11-0.24) for studies targeting care integration for depression or for alcohol use disorder, respectively, into primary care in LMICs. High heterogeneity within and among studies was observed. No significant association was found between country income level and depression and alcohol use outcomes. However, differences in effect sizes between types of integration model were statistically significant (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Integration of mental health care into primary health care in LMICs was found to improve depression and alcohol use disorder outcomes. This evidence should be considered when designing interventions to improve mental health screening and treatment in LMICs.

Improving mental ill-health with psycho-social group interventions in South Asia-A scoping review using a realist lens

This scoping review aimed to synthesise current evidence related to psycho-social groups as part of community-based mental health interventions in South Asia. We used a realist lens to pay attention to the contexts and mechanisms supporting positive outcomes. We included studies published from January 2007 to February 2022 that: were based in communities in South Asia, included a group component, reported on interventions with a clear psychosocial component, targeted adults and were implemented by lay community health workers. Two reviewers extracted data on intervention components, groups and facilitators, participant demographics and enabling contexts, mechanisms and outcomes. Expert reference panels including people with lived experience of psycho-social disability, mental health professionals and policy makers confirmed the validity and relevance of initial review findings. The review examined 15 interventions represented by 42 papers. Only four interventions were solely psycho-social and nearly all included psychoeducation and economic support. Only 8 of the 46 quantitative outcome measures used were developed in South Asia. In a context of social exclusion and limited autonomy for people with psychosocial disability, psychosocial support groups triggered five key mechanisms. Trusted relationships undergirded all mechanisms, and provided a sense of inclusion, social support and of being able to manage mental distress due to improved skills and knowledge. Over time group members felt a sense of belonging and collective strength meaning they were better able to advocate for their own well-being and address upstream social health determinants. This led to outcomes of improved mental health and social participation across the realms of intrapersonal, interpersonal and community. Psychosocial groups merit greater attention as an active ingredient in community interventions and also as an effective, relevant, acceptable and scalable platform that can promote and increase mental health in communities, through facilitation by lay community health workers.

Association between chronic disease and depression among older adults in China: the moderating role of social participation

OBJECTIVES

Depression is an increasingly serious mental health problem worldwide. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association between chronic disease and depression and to further test the moderating role of social participation in this association.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a cross-sectional study.

METHODS

We screened 6421 subjects from the 2018 wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study database. Social participation and depressive symptoms were assessed using the 12-item self-made scale and 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, respectively. Hierarchical regression was used to determine the main effect of chronic disease and depression and the moderating effect of social participation on the relationship between chronic disease and depression.

RESULTS

In this study, 3172 (49.40%) eligible participants were male, 4680 (72.90%) older adults were concentrated in the 65-74 years group, and 68.20% reported good health status. In addition, gender, area, education level, marital status, health status, health insurance, health service utilization, and physical activity intensity were significant factors associated with participants' depression status (P < 0.05). The results also showed that a higher number of chronic diseases were associated with a higher depression score after adjusting for confounders (single disease: β = 0.074, P < 0.001; multimorbidity: β = 0.171, P < 0.001) and that social participation played a moderating role in this association (β = -0.030, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study tentatively suggests that a higher number of chronic diseases are associated with rising depression scores in the older Chinese population. In addition, the moderating effect of social participation suggests that more active social engagement should be promoted in this population to alleviate the depressive mood.

Successful ingredients of effective Collaborative Care programs in low- and middle-income countries: A rapid review

Integrating mental health care in primary healthcare settings is a compelling strategy to address the mental health treatment gap in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Collaborative Care is the integrated care model with the most evidence supporting its effectiveness, but most research has been conducted in high-income countries. Efforts to implement this complex multi-component model at scale in LMICs will be enhanced by understanding the model components that have been effective in LMIC settings. Following Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group recommendations, we conducted a rapid review to identify studies of the effectiveness of Collaborative Care for priority adult mental disorders of mhGAP (mood and anxiety disorders, psychosis, substance use disorders and epilepsy) in outpatient medical settings in LMICs. Article screening and data extraction were performed using Covidence software. Data extraction by two authors utilized a checklist of key components of effective interventions. Information was aggregated to examine how frequently the components were applied. Our search yielded 25 articles describing 20 Collaborative Care models that treated depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, alcohol use disorder or epilepsy in nine different LMICs. Fourteen of these models demonstrated statistically significantly improved clinical outcomes compared to comparison groups. Successful models shared key structural and process-of-care elements: a multi-disciplinary care team with structured communication; standardized protocols for evidence-based treatments; systematic identification of mental disorders, and a stepped-care approach to treatment intensification. There was substantial heterogeneity across studies with respect to the specifics of model components, and clear evidence of the importance of tailoring the model to the local context. This review provides evidence that Collaborative Care is effective across a range of mental disorders in LMICs. More work is needed to demonstrate population-level and longer-term outcomes, and to identify strategies that will support successful and sustained implementation in routine clinical settings.

Barriers and facilitators to treatment seeking behaviors for depression, epilepsy, and schizophrenia in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review

Despite the severe consequences, the treatment gap for depression, epilepsy, and schizophrenia continues to be a major concern in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). We conducted a systematic review of literature on barriers and facilitators of treatment-seeking behaviors from the perspective of individuals living with depression, epilepsy, and schizophrenia and stakeholders in LMICs. Knowledge deficits, beliefs, and stigma were barriers to treatment-seeking across disorders. The most cited facilitators were demographics, socioeconomic status, and collaboration with traditional healers. Culturally sensitive interventions in collaboration with stakeholders within the community can facilitate treatment-seeking behaviors among people living with depression, epilepsy, and schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia Assessment, Referral and Awareness Training for Health Auxiliaries (SARATHA): Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Pilot Study in Rural India

BACKGROUND

Workforce shortages pose major obstacles to the timely detection and treatment of schizophrenia, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. The SARATHA (Schizophrenia Assessment, Referral, and Awareness Training for Health Auxiliaries) project involves the systematic development, iterative refinement, and pilot testing of a digital program for training community health workers in the early detection and referral of schizophrenia in primary care settings in rural India.

METHODS

SARATHA is a three-phase study. Phase 1 involves consulting with experts and clinicians, and drawing from existing evidence to inform the development of a curriculum for training community health workers. Phase 2 consists of designing and digitizing the training content for delivery on a smartphone app. Design workshops and focus group discussions will be conducted to seek input from community health workers and service users living with schizophrenia to guide revisions and refinements to the program content. Lastly, Phase 3 entails piloting the training program with a target sample of 20 community health workers to assess feasibility and acceptability. Preliminary effectiveness will be explored, as measured by community health workers' changes in knowledge about schizophrenia and the program content after completing the training.

DISCUSSION

If successful, this digital training program will offer a potentially scalable approach for building capacity of frontline community health workers towards reducing delays in early detection of schizophrenia in primary care settings in rural India. This study can inform efforts to improve treatment outcomes for persons living with schizophrenia in low-resource settings.

Mental health resources and its equity in Central South of China: A case study of Hunan Province

Objectives

Mental health resources are an important basis for coping with mental health services. The equity is an important index of a reasonable allocation of health resources. This study aims to evaluate the mental health resources and its equity allocation in Hunan Province, which is one of the typical central south areas of China, so as to provide reference for the development of mental health in China and other areas.

Methods

Data related to mental health resources was obtained from the Project of Mental Health Resources in Hunan Province, which was conducted by the Department of Hunan Mental Health Center in 2019. The Gini coefficient, the Theil index and other indicators were employed to quantitatively evaluate the equity of mental health resources’ allocation.

Results

By the end of 2018, there were a total of 141 mental health institutions in Hunan Province of China, the bed density was 5.31 beds per 10,000 people, the ratio of doctors to nurses was 2.20, the number of outpatients of mental health institutions was 1288,047 per year. The mental health resources’ allocation in terms of demographic dimension were in a preferred status with the Gini values all less than 0.3, and the Gini values for mental health resources`allocation in terms of geographical dimension ranged from 0.24 to 0.35. The Theil index for mental health allocation in terms of demographic dimension was lower than 0.05, and the Theil index for mental health allocation in terms of geographical dimension ranged from 0.04 to 0.11.

Conclusions

The shortage of mental health resources is still the priority issue to be increased and optimized by policy-makers in Hunan in the future, especially the human resources. Moreover, the utilization of mental health resources was low though its equity was fair. Policy-makers need to consider the high utilization and geographical accessibility of health resources among different regions to ensure people in different regions could get access to available health services.

Reconceptualising the treatment gap for common mental disorders: a fork in the road for global mental health?

SUMMARY

In this analysis, we argue that the 'treatment gap' for common mental disorders often reflects lack of demand, arising because services fail to address the needs of disadvantaged communities. We propose a route forward for global mental health, with explicit focus on action on the socioeconomic determinants of psychological suffering.

Assessing costs of developing a digital program for training community health workers to deliver treatment for depression: A case study in rural India

Digital technology has emerged as a promising approach for training and building capacity of community health workers in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Little is known about the cost of developing digital training programs in LMICs, which hinders the adoption, implementation, and scaling up of the programs in routine primary care settings. This study assessed the costs of developing a digital program for training community health workers to deliver a psychological treatment for depression in a rural district of Madhya Pradesh, India. We developed survey instruments to document required resources in development, including involved personnel (their roles, responsibilities, time spent, and salaries or payments), information technologies (e.g., smartphones, software programs), and infrastructure-related costs (e.g., vehicle, office space, utilities). Costs were estimated from an accounting perspective. Over a 10-month developmental period, the total costs were 208,814 USD, with the largest portion on human resources (61%, with 14% on management and supervision), followed by information technologies (33%), and infrastructure-related costs (6%). These findings could inform policymakers in LMICs on costs of developing online-training programs, which will be especially useful during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Socioeconomic Factors Related to Prevalence, Severity, and Contact Coverage of Depression in Primary Health Care

Background

We determine factors related to the prevalence, severity, and contact coverage of depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 1059 individuals who applied to primary health care in Ankara before the onset of pandemic restrictions. Contact coverage was evaluated to include mental health care users.

Results

The prevalence of depression was 22.9%. Individuals who were unemployed (OR: 3.832; 95% CI: 2.053-7.151), women (OR: 1.646; 95% CI: 1.158-2.340), those without social support (OR: 1.933; 95% CI: 1.219-3.065), those who did not receive formal education (OR: 2.631; 95 % CI: 1.312-5.275), lower-income group (OR: 1.528; 95% CI: 1.071-2.180), and unmarried or divorced (OR: 2.644; 95% CI: 1.324-5.281) were found to be at risk of developing depression. Based on the linear regression model including patients diagnosed with depression, individuals who were unemployed (standardized β: 0.190), women (standardized β: 0.075), those without social support (standardized β: 0.096), and those who were unmarried or single (standardized β: 0.147) had the highest scale scores. Contact coverage for depression was 31.0%. Contact coverage was more likely in the upper-income group (OR: 2.239, 95% CI: 1.173-4.273).

Conclusion

Although depression is common among primary health care applicants, contact coverage is low. Developing screening programs for depression in primary health care may help improve community mental health. Socioeconomic factors that contribute to the emergence, severity, and contact coverage of depression indicate health inequalities. The development and severity of depression are mostly due to unemployment, which suggests the importance of employment-enhancing policies.

Evidence to Practice for Mental Health Task-Sharing: Understanding Readiness for Change among Accredited Social Health Activists in Sehore District, Madhya Pradesh, India

Involvement of community health workers (CHWs) within task-sharing to bridge the mental health treatment gap has been proven to be efficacious in randomized controlled trials. The impact of mental health programs based on task-sharing paradigm greatly depends on the performance of CHWs which, in-turn, is influenced by their readiness for change. However, there is dearth of literature assessing the role of readiness for change as an important predicator of CHW performance. The aim of this study is to examine the applicability of the readiness for change model and investigate its cultural and contextual nuances among Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), a cadre of CHWs in India, to understand their engagement in mental health task-sharing. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of n = 12 key informants including ASHAs and other healthcare professionals in Sehore district, India. The interview guide consisted of open-ended questions based on the readiness for change factors including ASHAs' attitudes towards their role in mental health care, perception of capability to implement mental health task-sharing, of support from the public health system, etc. Framework analysis with a combined inductive-deductive approach was employed to code the data and generate themes. Participants endorsed three readiness for change themes relevant to task-sharing among ASHAs including change valence or value ascribed to task-sharing, change-efficacy or the perceived ability to implement task-sharing, and job valence or value ascribed to their regular job role. In addition, they provided insights into the culturally and contextually salient aspects of these factors. Themes of personal empowerment, gaining respect and trust from community, professional duty, relationship with supervisors, and lack of resources availability were majorly highlighted. This is the first study to qualitatively investigate the applicability of the readiness for change model and its culture- and context-specific nuances among a cadre of non-specialist health workers in India. Our findings posit that implementation science models should strongly consider the culture and context within which they are being applied to enhance fit and relevance. Further, our results should be taken into consideration to adapt and validate measurement tools and build readiness for change in this population.

Building community-based helping practices by training peer-father counselors: A novel intervention to reduce drinking and depressive symptoms among fathers through an expanded masculinity lens

BACKGROUND

Problem drinking and co-occurring depression symptoms affect men at high rates and are associated with increased risk of family violence. In low- and middle-income countries, there is a large treatment gap for services due to a lack of human resources. Moreover, masculine norms are a barrier to men seeking treatment for drinking and depression in healthcare settings. We examined an approach for engaging peer-fathers to deliver an intervention to reduce alcohol use, improve depressive symptoms, and increase family involvement among fathers in Kenya with problem drinking. The intervention-LEAD (Learn, Engage, Act, Dedicate)-combines motivational interviewing, behavioral activation, and masculinity discussion strategies.

METHODS

Community and religious leaders nominated fathers with no mental health training to serve as counselors (N=12); clients were recruited through community referrals. Nominated fathers completed a 10-day training beginning with treatment principles followed by manualized content. Three counselors were selected after training based on quantitative and qualitative assessments of communication skills, intervention knowledge, willingness to learn, ability to use feedback, and empathy. Supervision was tiered with local supervisors and clinical psychologist consultation. During LEAD delivery, counselor fidelity, delivery quality, and general and intervention-specific competencies were assessed. To evaluate acceptability, qualitative interviews were conducted with lay-counselors and clients (N=11). Descriptive statistics were calculated for quantitative outcomes; interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Peer-father lay counselors treated nine clients, with eight completing treatment. Counselors reached high rates of fidelity (93.8%) and high to optimal ratings on quality of delivery, clinical competency, and intervention-specific competencies. Qualitative results suggested high acceptability, with counselors expressing satisfaction and empowerment in their roles. Clients likewise described positive experiences with counselors.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings provide initial support for the acceptability and feasibility of recruitment, selection, and training processes for peer-father lay counselors to deliver LEAD through a lens of masculinity that aligned with clients help-acceptance practices.

Mental health in HIV prevention and care: A qualitative study of challenges and facilitators to integration in Vietnam

INTRODUCTION

Globally, men who have sex with men (MSM) experience a disproportionate burden of mental health issues. While HIV service providers may possess the skills and relationships to provision mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) to this population, task-sharing models that integrate MHPSS into HIV contexts remain limited. The aim of this study was to explore the sociodemographic, psychological, and structural factors operant at the client and HIV service provider levels that shape MHPSS access and burden among MSM and opportunities for integration in Vietnam.

METHODS

Between June and August 2018, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 MSM and 13 service providers at out-patient clinics (OPCs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) in Hanoi, Vietnam. Interviews explored participants' understandings of and experiences with the signs, causes, and appropriate treatments for mental health concerns; and perceived barriers to MHPSS integration in HIV contexts. Data were coded thematically and analyzed in MAXQDA.

RESULTS

Most MSM did not view their mental distress as constituting illness or as warranting clinical attention. Specifically, terms like "mental illness" were often associated with being "crazy" or immoral, while symptoms of distress were interpreted as having to do with everyday difficulties associated with being MSM and/or HIV-positive. Due to mental health stigma, MSM were reluctant to access services while service providers were similarly reluctant to query about needs. Few service providers knew where to refer patients for MHPSS, and none had done so previously. Most service providers reported lacking the human capital, expertise, and funding to address MHPSS needs.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that aside from mental health stigma, future integration strategies must address competing demands and incentivization structures, limitations in existing mental health infrastructure and funding, misperceptions around MHPSS needs and symptoms, and opportunities to streamline MHPSS with existing CBO activities to strengthen community wellbeing.

The ASHA (Hope) Project: Testing an Integrated Depression Treatment and Economic Strengthening Intervention in Rural Bangladesh: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Depression, a debilitating disorder, is highly prevalent among low-income women in low- and middle-income countries. Standard psychotherapeutic approaches may be helpful, but low treatment uptake, low retention, and transient treatment effects reduce the benefit of therapy. This pilot randomized controlled trial examined the effectiveness and feasibility of an integrated depression treatment/economic strengthening intervention. The study took place in two villages in the Sirajganj district in rural Bangladesh. Forty-eight low-income women with depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score ≥ 10) were recruited and randomized to intervention or control arms. The intervention included a six-month group-based, fortnightly depression management and financial literacy intervention, which was followed by a cash-transfer of $186 (equivalent to the cost of two goats) at 12 months' follow-up. The cash transfer could be used to purchase a productive asset (e.g., agricultural animals). The control arm received no intervention. Findings showed significant reduction in depression scores in the intervention group. The mean PHQ-9 score decreased from 14.5 to 5.5 (B ± SE, -9.2 ± 0.8 95% CI -10.9, -7.5, p < 0.01) compared to no change in the control group. Most other psycho-social outcomes, including tension, self-esteem, hope, social-support, and participation in household economic decision-making, also improved with intervention. An integrated depression treatment and financial empowerment intervention was found to be highly effective among rural low-income women with depression. Next steps involve formal testing of the model in a larger trial.

Scaling up mental health care and psychosocial support in low-resource settings: a roadmap to impact

AIMS

Despite recent global attention to mental health and psychosocial support services and a growing body of evidence-support interventions, few mental health services have been established at a regional or national scale in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). There are myriad challenges and barriers ranging from testing interventions that do not target priority needs of populations or policymakers to interventions that cannot achieve adequate coverage to decrease the treatment gap in LMIC.

METHOD

We propose a 'roadmap to impact' process that guides planning for interventions to move from the research space to the implementation space.

RESULTS

We establish four criteria and nine associated indicators that can be evaluated in low-resource settings to foster the greatest likelihood of successfully scaling mental health and psychosocial interventions. The criteria are relevance (indicators: population need, cultural and contextual fit), effectiveness (change in mental health outcome, change in hypothesised mechanism of action), quality (adherence, competence, attendance) and feasibility (coverage, cost). In the research space, relevance and effectiveness need to be established before moving into the implementation space. In the implementation space, ongoing monitoring of quality and feasibility is required to achieve and maintain a positive public health impact. Ultimately, a database or repository needs to be developed with these criteria and indicators to help researchers establish and monitor minimum benchmarks for the indicators, and for policymakers and practitioners to be able to select what interventions will be most likely to succeed in their settings.

CONCLUSION

A practicable roadmap with a sequence of measurable indicators is an important step to delivering interventions at scale and reducing the mental health treatment gap around the world.

Digital Training for Non-Specialist Health Workers to Deliver a Brief Psychological Treatment for Depression in Primary Care in India: Findings from a Randomized Pilot Study

Introduction: Task sharing holds promise for scaling up depression care in countries such as India, yet requires training large numbers of non-specialist health workers. This pilot trial evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a digital program for training non-specialist health workers to deliver a brief psychological treatment for depression. Methods: Participants were non-specialist health workers recruited from primary care facilities in Sehore, a rural district in Madhya Pradesh, India. A three-arm randomized controlled trial design was used, comparing digital training alone (DGT) to digital training with remote support (DGT+), and conventional face-to-face training. The primary outcome was the feasibility and acceptability of digital training programs. Preliminary effectiveness was explored as changes in competency outcomes, assessed using a self-reported measure covering the specific knowledge and skills required to deliver the brief psychological treatment for depression. Outcomes were collected at pre-training and post-training. Results: Of 42 non-specialist health workers randomized to the training programs, 36 including 10 (72%) in face-to-face, 12 (86%) in DGT, and 14 (100%) in DGT+ arms started the training. Among these participants, 27 (64%) completed the training, with 8 (57%) in face-to-face, 8 (57%) in DGT, and 11 (79%) in DGT+. The addition of remote telephone support appeared to improve completion rates for DGT+ participants. The competency outcome improved across all groups, with no significant between-group differences. However, face-to-face and DGT+ participants showed greater improvement compared to DGT alone. There were numerous technical challenges with the digital training program such as poor connectivity, smartphone app not loading, and difficulty navigating the course content-issues that were further emphasized in follow-up focus group discussions with participants. Feedback and recommendations collected from participants informed further modifications and refinements to the training programs in preparation for a forthcoming large-scale effectiveness trial. Conclusions: This study adds to mounting efforts aimed at leveraging digital technology to increase the availability of evidence-based mental health services in primary care settings in low-resource settings.

Health care use and treatment-seeking for depression symptoms in rural India: an exploratory cross-sectional analysis

BACKGROUND

There is a large "treatment gap" for depression worldwide. This study aimed to better understand the treatment gap in rural India by describing health care use and treatment-seeking for depression.

METHODS

Data were analysed from a two round cross-sectional community survey conducted in rural Madhya Pradesh between May 2013 and December 2016. We examined the proportion of individuals who screened positive for depression (≥10) on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) who sought treatment in different sectors, for depression symptoms and for any reason, and compared the latter with health service use by screen-negative individuals. We analysed the frequency with which barriers to healthcare utilisation were reported by screen-positive adults. We also analysed the association between seeking treatment for depression and various predisposing, enabling and need factors using univariable regression.

RESULTS

86% of screen-positive adults reported seeking no depression treatment. However, 66% had used health services for any reason in the past 3 months, compared to 46% of screen-negative individuals (p < 0.0001). Private providers were most frequently consulted by screen-positive adults (32%), while only 19% consulted traditional providers. Structural barriers to healthcare use such as cost and distance to services were frequently reported (54 and 52%, respectively) but were not associated with treatment-seeking for depression. The following factors were found to be positively associated with treatment-seeking for depression: higher symptom severity; lack of energy, lack of interest/pleasure, low self-esteem, or slow movements/restlessness on more than 7 days in the past 2 weeks; being married; having discussed depression symptoms; and reporting problems with medication availability and supply as a barrier to healthcare. No evidence was found for an association between treatment-seeking for depression and most socio-economic, demographic or attitudinal factors.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that the majority of adults who screen positive for depression seek healthcare, although not primarily for depression symptoms, indicating the need to improve detection of depression during consultations about other complaints. Private providers may need to be considered in programmes to improve depression treatment in this setting. Further research should test the hypotheses generated in this descriptive study, such as the potential role of marriage in facilitating treatment-seeking.

The burden of mental disorders across the states of India: the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2017

BACKGROUND

Mental disorders are among the leading causes of non-fatal disease burden in India, but a systematic understanding of their prevalence, disease burden, and risk factors is not readily available for each state of India. In this report, we describe the prevalence and disease burden of each mental disorder for the states of India, from 1990 to 2017.

METHODS

We used all accessible data from multiple sources to estimate the prevalence of mental disorders, years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) caused by these disorders for all the states of India from 1990 to 2017, as part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study. We assessed the heterogeneity and time trends of mental disorders across the states of India. We grouped states on the basis of their Socio-demographic Index (SDI), which is a composite measure of per-capita income, mean education, and fertility rate in women younger than 25 years. We also assessed the association of major mental disorders with suicide deaths. We calculated 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) for the point estimates.

FINDINGS

In 2017, 197·3 million (95% UI 178·4-216·4) people had mental disorders in India, including 45·7 million (42·4-49·8) with depressive disorders and 44·9 million (41·2-48·9) with anxiety disorders. We found a significant, but modest, correlation between the prevalence of depressive disorders and suicide death rate at the state level for females (r²=0·33, p=0·0009) and males (r²=0·19, p=0·015). The contribution of mental disorders to the total DALYs in India increased from 2·5% (2·0-3·1) in 1990 to 4·7% (3·7-5·6) in 2017. In 2017, depressive disorders contributed the most to the total mental disorders DALYs (33·8%, 29·5-38·5), followed by anxiety disorders (19·0%, 15·9-22·4), idiopathic developmental intellectual disability (IDID; 10·8%, 6·3-15·9), schizophrenia (9·8%, 7·7-12·4), bipolar disorder (6·9%, 4·9-9·6), conduct disorder (5·9%, 4·0-8·1), autism spectrum disorders (3·2%, 2·7-3·8), eating disorders (2·2%, 1·7-2·8), and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; 0·3%, 0·2-0·5); other mental disorders comprised 8·0% (6·1-10·1) of DALYs. Almost all (>99·9%) of these DALYs were made up of YLDs. The DALY rate point estimates of mental disorders with onset predominantly in childhood and adolescence (IDID, conduct disorder, autism spectrum disorders, and ADHD) were higher in low SDI states than in middle SDI and high SDI states in 2017, whereas the trend was reversed for mental disorders that manifest predominantly during adulthood. Although the prevalence of mental disorders with onset in childhood and adolescence decreased in India from 1990 to 2017, with a stronger decrease in high SDI and middle SDI states than in low SDI states, the prevalence of mental disorders that manifest predominantly during adulthood increased during this period.

INTERPRETATION

One in seven Indians were affected by mental disorders of varying severity in 2017. The proportional contribution of mental disorders to the total disease burden in India has almost doubled since 1990. Substantial variations exist between states in the burden from different mental disorders and in their trends over time. These state-specific trends of each mental disorder reported here could guide appropriate policies and health system response to more effectively address the burden of mental disorders in India.

FUNDING

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and Indian Council of Medical Research, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

Distance to health services and treatment-seeking for depressive symptoms in rural India: a repeated cross-sectional study

AIMS

Research from high-income countries has implicated travel distance to mental health services as an important factor influencing treatment-seeking for mental disorders. This study aimed to test the extent to which travel distance to the nearest depression treatment provider is associated with treatment-seeking for depression in rural India.

METHODS

We used data from a population-based survey of adults with probable depression (n = 568), and calculated travel distance from households to the nearest public depression treatment provider with network analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). We tested the association between travel distance to the nearest public depression treatment provider and 12 month self-reported use of services for depression.

RESULTS

We found no association between travel distance and the probability of seeking treatment for depression (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.98-1.02, p = 0.78). Those living in the immediate vicinity of public depression treatment providers were just as unlikely to seek treatment as those living 20 km or more away by road. There was evidence of interaction effects by caste, employment status and perceived need for health care, but these effect sizes were generally small.

CONCLUSIONS

Geographic accessibility - as measured by travel distance - is not the primary barrier to seeking treatment for depression in rural India. Reducing travel distance to public mental health services will not of itself reduce the depression treatment gap for depression, at least in this setting, and decisions about the best platform to deliver mental health services should not be made on this basis.

Delivering a complex mental health intervention in low-resource settings: lessons from the implementation of the PRIME mental healthcare plan in primary care in Sehore district, Madhya Pradesh, India

BACKGROUND

The PRogramme for Improving Mental health care (PRIME) designed, implemented and evaluated a comprehensive mental healthcare plan (MHCP) for Sehore district, Madhya Pradesh, India.AimsTo provide quantitative measures of outputs related to implementation processes, describe the role of contextual factors that facilitated and impeded implementation processes, and discuss what has been learned from the MHCP implementation.

METHOD

A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used. The quantitative strand consisted of process data on mental health indicators whereas the qualitative strand consisted of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with key stakeholders involved in PRIME implementation.

RESULTS

The implementation of the MHCP in Sehore district in Madhya Pradesh, India, demonstrated that it is feasible to establish structures (for example Mann-Kaksha) and operationalise processes to integrate mental health services in a 'real-world' low-resource primary care setting. The key lessons can be summarised as: (a) clear 'process maps' of clinical interventions and implementation steps are helpful in monitoring/tracking the progress; (b) implementation support from an external team, in addition to training of service providers, is essential to provide clinical supervision and address the implementation barriers; (c) the enabling packages of the MHCP play a crucial role in strengthening the health system and improving the context/settings for implementation; and (d) engagement with key community stakeholders and incentives for community health workers are necessary to deliver services at the community-platform level.

CONCLUSIONS

The PRIME implementation model could be used to scale-up mental health services across India and similar low-resource settings.Declaration of interestNone.