Project description:BackgroundThe World Health Organization (WHO)'s Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP)-Intervention Guide (IG) aims to integrate mental health into primary care/community-based settings by equipping non-specialists with tools, training, and support to deliver evidence-based interventions. With the growing popularity of the mhGAP-IG, a systematic review was conducted by Keynejad and colleagues (2018) to identify articles reporting on evidence generated from the implementation and evaluation of the mhGAP-IG in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Their review identified peer-reviewed articles and one thesis. In this current review, we report on the implementation and use of mhGAP-IG documented in the grey literature, an important and accessible channel to share information for LMICs.MethodsWe searched grey literature databases for documents that reported on the implementation and/or use of the mhGAP-IG or its training modules: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, the Mental Health Innovation Network (MHIN) database, the WHO website, the mhGAP Newsletter, and the first 10 pages of Google search results. Authors developed and adapted search strategies according to database characteristics. Database searches were completed by November 12, 2019.ResultsOne hundred and fifty-one (n = 151) documents were included in our review. We report on where the mhGAP-IG has been implemented and/or used worldwide. Many types of personnel were trained in the mhGAP-IG and/or used it in clinical practice. Contextual barriers and facilitators may influence the implementation and/or use of the mhGAP-IG, and we organized these according to structural, organizational, provider, patient, and innovation characteristics. Some information on evaluating the mhGAP-IG was documented in the grey literature. Outcomes included: feasibility of implementing and/or using the mhGAP-IG, its coverage, its impact on the capacities of personnel, patient outcomes, and policies, as well as program costs.ConclusionsThis review of the grey literature provides rich experiential knowledge that can complement information documented in the peer-reviewed literature. It is important for researchers conducting reviews on global health/global mental health topics to consider incorporating grey literature search strategies in their reviews. This may not only help to acknowledge the research/dissemination realities of many LMICs, but also to generate findings that reinforce and/or expand those documented in peer-reviewed articles.

Project description:BackgroundThere is a growing global need for scalable approaches to training and supervising primary care workers (PCWs) to deliver mental health services. Over the past decade, the World Health Organization Mental Health Gap Action Programme Intervention Guide (mhGAP-IG) and associated training and implementation guidance have been disseminated to more than 100 countries. On the basis of the opportunities provided by mobile technology, an updated electronic Mental Health Gap Action Programme Intervention Guide (e-mhGAP-IG) is now being developed along with a clinical dashboard and guidance for the use of mobile technology in supervision.ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the feasibility, acceptability, adoption, and other implementation parameters of the e-mhGAP-IG for diagnosis and management of depression in 2 lower-middle-income countries (Nepal and Nigeria) and to conduct a feasibility cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) to evaluate trial procedures for a subsequent fully powered trial comparing the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the e-mhGAP-IG and remote supervision with standard mhGAP-IG implementation.MethodsA feasibility cRCT will be conducted in Nepal and Nigeria to evaluate the feasibility of the e-mhGAP-IG for use in depression diagnosis and treatment. In each country, an estimated 20 primary health clinics (PHCs) in Nepal and 6 PHCs in Nigeria will be randomized to have their staff trained in e-mhGAP-IG or the paper version of mhGAP-IG v2.0. The PHC will be the unit of clustering. All PCWs within a facility will receive the same training (e-mhGAP-IG vs paper mhGAP-IG). Approximately 2-5 PCWs, depending on staffing, will be recruited per clinic (estimated 20 health workers per arm in Nepal and 15 per arm in Nigeria). The primary outcomes of interest will be the feasibility and acceptability of training, supervision, and care delivery using the e-mhGAP-IG. Secondary implementation outcomes include the adoption of the e-mhGAP-IG and feasibility of trial procedures. The secondary intervention outcome-and the primary outcome for a subsequent fully powered trial-will be the accurate identification of depression by PCWs. Detection rates before and after training will be compared in each arm.ResultsTo date, qualitative formative work has been conducted at both sites to prepare for the pilot feasibility cRCT, and the e-mhGAP-IG and remote supervision guidelines have been developed.ConclusionsThe incorporation of mobile digital technology has the potential to improve the scalability of mental health services in primary care and enhance the quality and accuracy of care.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04522453; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04522453.International registered report identifier (irrid)PRR1-10.2196/24115.

Project description:BackgroundTaking advantage of the rapidly increasing access to digital technology in low- and middle-income countries, the World Health Organization has launched an electronic version of the mental health Gap Action Programme intervention guide (emhGAP-IG). This is suitable for use on smartphones or tablets by non-specialist primary healthcare providers (PHCWs) to deliver evidence-based intervention for priority mental, neurological and substance use disorders. We assessed the perceptions of PHCWs on the feasibility, acceptability, and benefits of using smartphone-based clinical guidance and the emhGAP-IG in the management of people with mental health conditions in Nigeria. METHODS: Exploration of the views of PHCWs from 12 rural and urban primary health clinics (PHCs) in South-Western Nigeria were carried out using 34 in-depth key informant qualitative interviews with nurses (n = 10), community health officers (n = 13) and community health extension workers (n = 11). An additional two focus group discussions, each comprising eight participants drawn from across the range of characteristics of PHCWs, were also conducted. Thematic analysis was conducted using a three-staged constant comparison technique to refine and categorise the data.ResultsThree overall themes were identified around the use of clinical guidance and mobile applications (apps) in PHCs. Apps were deployed for purposes other than clinical consultation and decision making. Although paper-based guidance was the expected practice, its utilization is not fully embedded in routine care. An app-based decision-making tool was preferred to paper by PHCWs. Future usage of the emhGAP-IG would be facilitated by training and supporting of staff, helpful design features, and obtaining patients' buy-in.ConclusionOur findings suggest that the emhGAP-IG could be a viable way to embed clinical guidance and decision-making tools in the management of people with mental health conditions in Nigerian PHCs.

Project description:IntroductionPoor psychosocial support and lack of respectful care for women during childbirth are commonplace in health facilities in low- and middle-income countries. While WHO recommends providing supportive care to pregnant women, there is a scarcity of material for building the capacity of maternity staff to provide systematic and inclusive psychosocial support to women in the intrapartum phase, and prevent work stress and burnout in maternity teams. To address this need we adapted WHO's mhGAP for maternity staff to provide psychosocial support in labour room settings in Pakistan. Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) is an evidence-based guidance which provides psychosocial support in resource-limited health care settings. This paper aims to describe the adaptation of mhGAP to develop psychosocial support capacity building materials for maternity staff to provide support to maternity patients, and also to staff, in the labour room context.MethodsAdaptation was conducted within the Human-Centered-Design framework in three phases: inspiration, ideation, and implementation feasibility. In inspiration, a review of national-level maternity service-delivery documents and in-depth interviews of maternity staff were conducted. Ideation involved a multidisciplinary team to develop capacity-building materials by adapting mhGAP. This phase was iterative and included cycles of pretesting, deliberations, and revision of materials. In implementation feasibility, materials were tested via the training of 98 maternity staff and exploring system feasibility via post-training visits to health facilities.ResultsInspiration phase identified gaps in policy directives and implementation and formative study identified limited understanding and skills of staff to assess patients' psychosocial needs and provide appropriate support. Also, it became evident that staff themselves needed psychosocial support. In ideation, team developed capacity-building materials comprising two modules: one dedicated to conceptual understanding, the other to implementing psychosocial support in collaboration with maternity staff. In implementation feasibility, staff found the materials relevant and feasible for the labour room setting. Finally, users and experts endorsed usefulness of the materials.ConclusionOur work in developing psychosocial-support training materials for maternity staff extends the utility of mhGAP to maternity care settings. These materials can be used for capacity-building of maternity staff and their effectiveness can be assessed in diverse maternity care settings.

Project description:BackgroundPrimary care doctors in Shenzhen, China are increasingly expected to identify and prevent depressive disorder; however, they have received limited mental health training and community healthcare centres (CHC) do not provide standardised protocols for the diagnosis and care of depressive disorder. The World Health Organization's mental health gap intervention guide, version 2 (mhGAP-IG.v2) is a decision support tool for non-specialists for the assessment, management and follow-up of mental, neurological and substance use disorders (including depressive disorder). Given that mhGAP-IG.v2 is a generic tool, it requires adaptation to take account of cultural differences in depression presentation and unique characteristics of China's emergent mental health system.MethodsA two-round, web-based, Delphi survey was conducted. A panel of primary care doctors from Shenzhen, were invited to score their level of agreement with 199 statements (arranged across 10 domains) proposing changes to the content and structure of mhGAP-IG.v2 for use in Shenzhen. Consensus was predefined as 80% panelists providing a rating of either "somewhat agree/definitely agree", or "definitely disagree/somewhat disagree" on a five-point scale for agreement.Results79% of statements received consensus with a mean score of 4.26 (i.e. "somewhat agree"). Agreed adaptations for mhGAP-IG.v2 included:- an assessment approach which considers a broader spectrum of depression symptoms and reflects the life course of disease; incorporating guidance for screening tool usage; clarifying physicians' roles and including referral pathways for intersectorial care with strong family involvement; aligning drug treatment with national formularies; stronger emphasis of suicide prevention throughout all sections of the guide; contextualizing health education; reflecting a person-centred approach to care. Panelists chose to maintain diagnostic and treatment advice for bipolar patients experiencing a depressive episode as in the current guide.ConclusionsAn adapted mhGAP-IG.v2 for depression recognises China's cultural and contextual needs for assessment guidance; unique primary healthcare system organization, priorities and treatment availability; and diverse psychosocial educational needs. An adapted mhGAP-IG.v2 could both inform the future training programs for primary care in Shenzhen and also offer an additional mental health resource for non-specialists in other countries.

Project description:BackgroundThree global health initiatives (GHIs) - the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the World Bank Multi-Country HIV/AIDS Program - finance most HIV services in Nigeria. Critics assert that GHIs burden fragile health systems in resource-poor countries and that health system limitations in these countries constrain the achievement of the objectives of GHIs. This study analyzed interactions between HIV GHIs and the Nigerian Health System and explored how the impact of the GHIs could be optimized.MethodsA country case study was conducted using qualitative methods, including: semi-structured interviews, direct observation, and archival review. Semi-structured interviews were held with key informants selected to reach a broad range of stakeholders including policymakers, program managers, service providers, representatives of donor agencies and their implementing partners; the WHO country office in Nigeria; independent consultants; and civil society organizations involved in HIV work. The fieldwork was conducted between June and August 2013.FindingsHIV GHIs have had a mixed impact on the health system. They have enhanced availability of and access to HIV services, improved quality of services, and strengthened health information systems and the role of non-state actors in health care. On the negative end, HIV donor funding has increased dependency on foreign aid, widened disparities in access to HIV services, done little to address the sustainability of the services, crowded out non-HIV health services, and led to the development of a parallel supply management system. They have also not invested significantly in the production of new health workers and have not addressed maldistribution problems, but have rather contributed to internal brain drain by luring health workers from the public sector to non-governmental organizations and have increased workload for existing health workers. There is poor policy direction, strategic planning and coordination, and regulation of externally-financed HIV programs by the government and this poses a great limitation to the optimal use of HIV-specific foreign aid in Nigeria.ConclusionsA few reforms are necessary to improve the strengthening effect of GHIs and to minimize their negative and unintended consequences. This will require stronger leadership from the Nigerian government with regards to better coordination of externally-financed health programs. Also, donors need to play a greater role in addressing the negative consequences of foreign aid. The findings highlight important unintended consequences and system-wide impacts that get little attention in traditional program evaluation.

Project description:BackgroundWomen with hormone receptor-positive, early-stage breast cancer who adhere to adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) reduce the risk of cancer recurrence and mortality. AET, however, is associated with adverse symptoms that often result in poor adherence. We applied participatory action research (PAR) principles to conduct focus groups and interviews to refine and enhance a web-enabled app intervention that facilitates patient-provider communication about AET-related symptoms and other barriers to adherence.MethodsWe conducted four focus groups with women with early-stage breast cancer on AET (N=28), stratified by race (Black and White) and length of time on AET (<6 months and >6 months), to determine preferences and refine the app-based intervention. A fifth mixed-race focus group was convened (N=6) to refine THRIVE app content using high-fidelity mock-ups and to develop new, tailored feedback messages. We also conducted interviews with oncology nurses (N=5) who participated in the THRIVE randomized controlled trial.ResultsParticipants reported preferences for weekly reminder messages to use the THRIVE app, a free-text option to write in AET-related symptoms, and app aesthetics. Other requested app features included: a body map for identifying pain, sleep and dental problems on the symptom list, a dashboard, tailored feedback messages, and information about social support resources. Participants also developed new intervention messages, decided which messages to keep, and edited language for appropriateness and sensitivity. They also discussed the type of electronic pill monitor and incentive plan to be used in the intervention. Nurses reported THRIVE alerts integrated seamlessly into their clinical workflow and increased patient-provider communication, facilitating quicker response to patients' reported symptoms. Nurses reported no negative feedback or usability concerns with the app.ConclusionsTHRIVE app content reflects researchers' partnership with a racially diverse sample of breast cancer survivors and healthcare providers and adherence to participatory design by incorporating patient-requested app features, app aesthetics, and message content. The app has the potential to improve AET adherence and quality of life among breast cancer survivors and reduce disparities in mortality rates for Black women by facilitating communication with healthcare providers.

Project description:BackgroundThe role of governance in strengthening tuberculosis (TB) control has received little research attention. This review provides evidence of how institutional designs and organisational practices influence implementation of the national TB control programme (NTP) in Nigeria.Main textWe conducted a scoping review using a five-stage framework to review published and grey literature in English, on implementation of Nigeria's NTP and identified themes related to governance using a health system governance framework. We included articles, of all study designs and methods, which described or analysed the processes of implementing TB control based on relevance to the research question. The review shows a dearth of studies which examined the role of governance in TB control in Nigeria. Although costed plans and policy coordination framework exist, public spending on TB control is low. While stakeholders' involvement in TB control is increasing, institutional capacity is limited, especially in the private sector. TB-specific legislation is absent. Deployment and transfer of staff to the NTP are not transparent. Health workers are not transparent in communicating service entitlements to users. Despite existence of supportive policies, integration of TB control into the community and general health services have been weak. Willingness to pay for TB services is high, however, transaction cost and stigma among patients limit equity. Effectiveness and efficiency of the NTP was hindered by inadequate human resources, dilapidated service delivery infrastructure and weak drug supply system. Despite adhering to standardized recording and reporting format, regular monitoring and evaluation, revision of reporting formats, and electronic data management system, TB surveillance system was found to be weak. Delay in TB diagnosis and initiation of care, poor staff attitude to patients, lack of privacy, poor management of drug reactions and absence of infection control measures breach ethical standards for TB care.ConclusionsThis scoping review of governance of TB control in Nigeria highlights two main issues. Governance for strengthening TB control programmes in low-resource, high TB burden settings like Nigeria, is imperative. Secondly, there is a need for empirical studies involving detailed analysis of different dimensions of governance of TB control.

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Country contextualization of the mental health gap action programme intervention guide: a case study from Nigeria.

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Country contextualization of the mental health gap action programme intervention guide: a case study from Nigeria.

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