Rural-urban variation in user satisfaction with outpatient mental health services in Southern Malawi: a cross-sectional survey.

Background: User satisfaction with outpatient mental health services is an important factor in ensuring continued engagement with mental health services for people with mental health conditions. Yet, in many low and middle-income countries, including Malawi, there is a dearth of information about user's experiences of outpatient mental health care services, and little is known about which factors might affect user satisfaction.

Aim: The aim of the present work was to evaluate user satisfaction with outpatient mental health services in southern Malawi and to explore whether social demographic variables, mental health status, and treatment characteristics explain variance in user satisfaction.

Implementing an mhGAP-based training and supervision package to improve healthcare workers' competencies and access to mental health care in Malawi.

Background: It is now well established that the integration of mental health care into primary care is one of the most effective ways of reducing the substantial treatment gap for mental disorders which exists in most low- and middle-income countries. This study set out to determine whether a Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) training and supervision package could be contextualised and implemented within the existing health care system in five districts in Southern Malawi. In addition, the study assessed the feasibility of holding community awareness events and establishing peer support groups in each district to further improve the access of the population to evidence-based mental health care.