Design and Development Process of a Youth Depression Screening m-Health Application for Primary Health Care Workers in South Africa and Zambia: An Overview of the MEGA Project

Lahti, Mari; Groen, Gunter; Mwape, Lonia; Korhonen, Joonas; Breet, Elsie; Chapima, Fabian; Coetzee, M C Brooks; Ellilä, Heikki; Jansen, Ronelle; Jonker, Deborah; Jörns-Presentati, Astrid; Mbanga, Irene; Mukwato, Patrcicia; Mundenda, John; Mutagubya, Joseph; Rensburg-Bonthuyzen, Ega Janse van; Seedat, Soraya; Stein, Dan J.; Suliman, Sharain; Sukwa, Thomas; Turunen, Timo-J.; Valtins, Karlis; Heuvel, Leigh van den; Wahila, Ruth; Grobler, Gerhard

doi:10.1080/01612840.2019.1604919

Cited by 13 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 33 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The systematic review was undertaken by the MEGA project team. MEGA is an international collaborative project for mental health promotion among adolescents in South Africa and Zambia (Lahti et al ., 2020; MEGA 2020). The project aims to build capacity for adolescent mental health among health care workers in primary care settings by training the trainers in higher education institutions in both countries.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The prevalence of mental health problems in sub-Saharan adolescents living with HIV: a systematic review

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Despite the progress made in HIV treatment and prevention, HIV remains a major cause of adolescent morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. As perinatally infected children increasingly survive into adulthood, the quality of life and mental health of this population has increased in importance. This review provides a synthesis of the prevalence of mental health problems in this population and explores associated factors. A systematic database search (Medline, PsycINFO, Scopus) with an additional hand search was conducted. Peer-reviewed studies on adolescents (aged 10–19), published between 2008 and 2019, assessing mental health symptoms or psychiatric disorders, either by standardized questionnaires or by diagnostic interviews, were included. The search identified 1461 articles, of which 301 were eligible for full-text analysis. Fourteen of these, concerning HIV-positive adolescents, met the inclusion criteria and were critically appraised. Mental health problems were highly prevalent among this group, with around 25% scoring positive for any psychiatric disorder and 30–50% showing emotional or behavioral difficulties or significant psychological distress. Associated factors found by regression analysis were older age, not being in school, impaired family functioning, HIV-related stigma and bullying, and poverty. Social support and parental competence were protective factors. Mental health problems among HIV-positive adolescents are highly prevalent and should be addressed as part of regular HIV care.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The prevalence of mental health problems in sub-Saharan adolescents living with HIV: a systematic review

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This systematic review was conducted to give an updated overview of primary studies on the prevalence of mental health problems in sub-Saharan adolescents. The authors are part of an Erasmus Plus Capacity Building project focusing on youth mental health promotion in primary health care settings in South Africa and Zambia [ 14 ]. The aim was to report the outcomes of studies conveying prevalence data for depression, anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), emotional and behavioural problems, and suicidal behaviour in adolescents (10–19 years) across the subregion.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The prevalence of mental health problems in sub-Saharan adolescents: A systematic review

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background and purpose Most research regarding child and adolescent mental health prevention and promotion in low-and middle-income countries is undertaken in high-income countries. This systematic review set out to synthesise findings from epidemiological studies, published between 2008 and 2020, documenting the prevalence of mental health problems in adolescents from across sub-Saharan Africa. Methods A systematic search of multiple databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus) and Google Scholar was conducted guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Reviewer’s manual for systematic reviews of observational epidemiological studies. Studies included reported prevalence outcomes for adolescents aged 10–19 using either clinical interviews or standardized questionnaires to assess psychopathology. Clinical samples were excluded. Results The search yielded 1 549 records of which 316 studies were assessed for eligibility and 51 met the inclusion criteria. We present a qualitative synthesis of 37 of these 51 included articles. The other 14 studies reporting prevalence rates for adolescents living with HIV are published elsewhere. The prevalence of depression, anxiety disorders, emotional and behavioural difficulties, posttraumatic stress and suicidal behaviour in the general adolescent population and selected at-risk groups in 16 sub-Saharan countries (with a total population of 97 616 adolescents) are reported.

show abstract

“…It has been estimated that 10% of the country's population, including children and young people, are suffering from PTSD. Correspondingly, the Zambia mental health country profile identifies that the high level of poverty in the country was already one of the major causes of mental health problems prior to the pandemic, especially for unemployed youth and people with disabilities [38]. The pandemic has had globally serious negative effects on the economy and on the labour market, and Zambia is no exception.…”

Section: Background and Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental health and wellbeing implications of the COVID-19 quarantine for disabled and disadvantaged children and young people: evidence from a cross-cultural study in Zambia and Sierra Leone

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background The mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantining on children and young people (CYP) living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has yet to be fully comprehended. CYP in LMICs are at utmost risk, given the COVID-19-related restrictions and social distancing measures, resulting in reduced access to school-based services for nutritional and mental health needs. This study examined mental health of CYP during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Zambia and Sierra Leone. Method A total of 468 disabled and disadvantaged CYP aged 12 to 25 completed a planning tool that comprised the short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS), as well as open-ended questions covering social connectedness, physical distancing and educational challenges during the lockdown. The community coaches screened individuals and families who could be eligible to receive emergency aid, and based on a convenience sample following distribution of aid, recipients were invited to complete the planning tool. Results The data showed that participants in the global south have increasing anxieties and fears centred on accessing offline educational resources and income loss in the family effecting food security and their ability to return to education. Mean (SD) SWEMWBS scores for all participants in Zambia and Sierra Leone, were 19.61 (3.45) and 21.65 (2.84), respectively. Mental well-being scores were lower in females, children aged 12–14 and participants with two or more disabilities. Factors significantly associated with poor mental wellbeing in the sample were: type of disability, nationality, peer relationships, connection to others during the pandemic, knowledge about COVID-19, worry about the long-term impact of COVID-19, and the types of self-isolating. Conclusion The study shows that participants who self-reported low levels of COVID-19 health literacy also scored low on the mental wellbeing self-assessment. Yet, despite undoubted limited resources, these CYP are doing well in identifying their needs and maintaining hope in the face of the problems associated with COVID-19 in countries where stigma persists around mental ill-health.

show abstract

Design and Development Process of a Youth Depression Screening m-Health Application for Primary Health Care Workers in South Africa and Zambia: An Overview of the MEGA Project

Cited by 13 publications

References 33 publications

The prevalence of mental health problems in sub-Saharan adolescents living with HIV: a systematic review

The prevalence of mental health problems in sub-Saharan adolescents living with HIV: a systematic review

The prevalence of mental health problems in sub-Saharan adolescents: A systematic review

Mental health and wellbeing implications of the COVID-19 quarantine for disabled and disadvantaged children and young people: evidence from a cross-cultural study in Zambia and Sierra Leone

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About