Expanding mental health services in low- and middle-income countries: A task-shifting framework for delivery of comprehensive, collaborative, and community-based care.

This paper proposes a framework for comprehensive, collaborative, and community-based care (C4) for accessible mental health services in low-resource settings. Because mental health conditions have many causes, this framework includes social, public health, wellness and clinical services. It accommodates integration of stand-alone mental health programs with health and non-health community-based services.

Advancing and translating knowledge: a systematic inquiry into the 2010-2020 mental health and psychosocial support intervention research evidence base.

Background And Study Objectives: MHPSS is increasingly seen as a critical component to effective and responsible humanitarian programming. This review examines the extent to which MHPSS research generated since 2010 has contributed to the public health evidence base and how this has influenced and impacted programming and policy in humanitarian settings.

Methods: This mixed-method study included a scoping literature review ( = 50) and a consultation process with qualitative key informant interviews ( = 19) and online survey responses ( = 52) to identify the facilitating and inhibiting factors for the two areas of inquiry and to understand the broader context in which knowledge is generated and taken up.

Global priorities for climate change and mental health research.

Background: Compared with other health areas, the mental health impacts of climate change have received less research attention. The literature on climate change and mental health is growing rapidly but is characterised by several limitations and research gaps. In a field where the need for designing evidence-based adaptation strategies is urgent, and research gaps are vast, implementing a broad, all-encompassing research agenda will require some strategic focus.

Cortisol awakening response over the course of humanitarian aid deployment: a prospective cohort study.

: Internationally deployed humanitarian aid (HA) workers are routinely confronted with potentially traumatic stressors. However, it remains unknown whether HA deployment and related traumatic stress are associated with long-term changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function. Therefore, we investigated whether cortisol awakening response (CAR) decreased upon deployment and whether this was moderated by previous and recent trauma exposure and parallel changes in symptom severity and perceived social support.

Ethical standards for mental health and psychosocial support research in emergencies: review of literature and current debates.

Background: Research in emergencies is needed to understand the prevalence of mental health and psychosocial problems and strengthen the evidence base for interventions. All research - including operational needs assessments, programme monitoring and evaluation, and formal academic research - must be conducted ethically. While there is broad consensus on fundamental principles codified in research ethics guidelines, these do not address the ethical specificities of conducting mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) research with adults in emergencies.

A reflective learning report about the implementation and impacts of Psychological First Aid (PFA) in Gaza.

Psychological First Aid (PFA) is the recommended immediate psychosocial response during crises. As PFA is now widely implemented in crises worldwide, there are increasing calls to evaluate its effectiveness. World Vision used PFA as a fundamental component of their emergency response following the 2014 conflict in Gaza.

Psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and burnout among international humanitarian aid workers: a longitudinal study.

Background: International humanitarian aid workers providing care in emergencies are subjected to numerous chronic and traumatic stressors.

Objectives: To examine consequences of such experiences on aid workers' mental health and how the impact is influenced by moderating variables.

Methodology: We conducted a longitudinal study in a sample of international non-governmental organizations.

Depressive symptoms in youth heads of household in Rwanda: correlates and implications for intervention.

Objective: To examine the level of depressive symptoms and their predictors in youth from one region of Rwanda who function as heads of household (ie, those responsible for caring for other children) and care for younger orphans.

Design: Cross-sectional survey

Setting: Four adjoining districts in Gigonkoro, an impoverished rural province in southwestern Rwanda.

Participants: Trained interviewers met with the eldest member of each household (n = 539) in which a youth 24 years old or younger was caring for 1 child or more.

Barriers to the community support of orphans and vulnerable youth in Rwanda.

A consistent theme in the literature on interventions for orphans and vulnerable children is the need for community-based care. However, a number of socio-cultural factors may impede community response. In this study, mixed methods are used to elucidate community-level barriers to care for orphans and vulnerable youth in Rwanda.

Infants and young children living in youth-headed households in Rwanda: Implications of emerging data.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has already produced millions of orphans in Africa and the peak of the orphan epidemic has not yet been reached. One emerging social trend associated with premature parental death is the formation of households headed by youth aged 13-24. In Rwanda, specific sociocultural factors have supported the formation of youth-headed households (YHH) in the wake of both the 1994 genocide and the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Psychosocial support and marginalization of youth-headed households in Rwanda.

This research aims to characterize the psychosocial aspects of well-being among youth-headed households (YHH) in Gikongoro, Rwanda, through examination of social support and marginalization. Data is presented on perceived availability of support from relatives, an unidentified adult, peers, and other community members and an index of social marginalization. A total of 692 interviews were completed with YHH age 13-24 who are beneficiaries of a basic needs program.

Psychosocial assessment for victims of violence in Peru: the importance of local participation.

This paper describes a pilot study assessing the psychosocial impact of political violence in the Peruvian Andes, utilizing a collaborative approach with local professionals and communities. The study team prioritized dialogue and information exchange with the local professional community and villagers participating in the assessment in order to raise awareness of psychosocial issues and provide education and support. Participation in the pilot study had positive therapeutic effects for villagers, and inspired ongoing discussion groups to address psychosocial problems in communities.