Measuring mental health burden in humanitarian settings: a critical review of assessment tools

Abstract

Background: The effects of disasters and conflicts are widespread and heavily studied. While attention to disasters' impacts on mental health is growing, mental health effects are not well understood due to inconsistencies in measurement. Objective: The purpose of this study is to review mental health assessment tools and their use in populations affected by disasters and conflicts. Method: Tools that assess posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, substance use disorder, and general mental health were examined. This review began with a search for assessment tools in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar. Next, validation studies for the tools were obtained through snowball sampling. A final search was conducted for scientific studies using the selected tools in humanitarian settings to collect the data for analysis. The benefits and limitations described for each tool were compiled into a complete table. Results: Twelve assessment tools were included, with 88 studies using them. The primary findings indicate that half of the studies used the Impact of Events Scale-Revised. The most common limitation discussed is that self-report tools inaccurately estimate the prevalence of mental health problems. This inaccuracy is further exacerbated by a lack of cultural appropriateness of the tools, as many are developed for Western contexts. Conclusion: It is recommended that researchers and humanitarian workers reflect on the effectiveness of the mental health assessment tool they use to accurately represent the populations under study in emergency settings. In addition, mental health assessment should be coupled with action.

Suicide ideation and psychosocial distress among refugee adolescents in Bidibidi settlement in West Nile, Uganda

“…The literature points to several factors associated with suicide ideation (SI) or suicide attempt (SA). These include feeling or being lonely [ 10 ], discrimination [ 11 ], financial constraints [ 3 ], anger [ 12 ], mental illness [ 7 , 13 ], political tyranny [ 5 ], depression [ 14 , 15 ], alcohol abuse [ 16 ], substance abuse [ 17 , 18 ], unemployment [ 19 ], stress or posttraumatic stress disorder [ 20 , 21 ], acculturation related stress [ 6 ], war [ 22 ], trauma [ 23 ], isolation [ 24 ], family instability or conflicts [ 12 , 25 ], history of suicide behaviours [ 26 ], violence [ 27 ], or gender-based violence [ 28 , 29 ], sexual abuse [ 30 ], child abuse or bullying [ 31 ], and not having a close friend [ 32 ].…”

A Review of Interventions for Non-Communicable Diseases in Humanitarian Emergencies in Low-and Middle-Income Countries

“…English, Arabic and French language articles were eligible and no date restrictions were applied. Studies reporting on mental health and associated terms were excluded from this review given the existing evidence for mental health interventions in the available literature [17][18][19] and our own research question which sought to primarily address the leading four NCDs as outlined by the WHO [2]: cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes. Studies conducted in high income countries (HICs), as defined by the 2015 World Bank Country Classification by Income [20], and review articles were excluded.…”

Reevaluation of adverse drug reactions of psychiatric drugs under the chinese drug volume-based procurement policy

“…In recent years, the issues of mental health have become an important public health issue over the world [ 5 , 6 ]. The types and clinical use of psychotropic drugs increase continuously, as well as the duration of treatment.…”