Promotion, prevention and treatment interventions for mental health in low- and middle-income countries through a task-shifting approach

Abstract

Recently, mental health and ill health have been reframed to be seen as a continuum from health to ill health, through the stages of being asymptomatic ‘at risk’, to experiencing ‘mental distress’, ‘sub-syndromal symptoms’ and finally ‘mental disorders’. This new conceptualisation emphasised the importance of mental health promotion and prevention interventions, aimed at reducing the likelihood of future disorders with the general population or with people who are identified as being at risk of a disorder. This concept generated discussion on the distinction between prevention and treatment interventions, especially for those mental health conditions which lie between psychological distress and a formal psychiatric diagnosis. The present editorial aims to clarify the definition of promotion, prevention and treatment interventions delivered through a task-shifting approach according to a global mental health perspective.

Review: Mental health impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic on children and youth – a systematic review

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“…2,3 There is a growing imperative to prevent and protect children and adolescents from developing mental illnesses as well as to promote positive mental health and wellbeing, 4 particularly in lowand middle-income countries (LMICs) where intervention implementation is hampered by limited healthcare resources. 5 Research in school-based mental health has focussed largely on reducing stigma and improving negative attitudes to encourage appropriate help-seeking for mental health problems. As such, mental health literacy approaches have traditionally adopted a deficit approach.…”

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