Abstract
There is a global need to provide human resources for health in low- and middle-income countries. To increase access to care, task shifting has been implemented in community-based rehabilitation (CBR) programs where skills and responsibilities are transferred to local people with shorter and more focused training. Through realist review and synthesis, this research aimed to consolidate the literature when considering (a) what skills CBR workers are reportedly using and/or being trained in relating to mental health, (b) how different settings affect how these task shifting programs work, and (c) the evidence of effectiveness when community health workers come from within the community itself. A total of 11 databases (PubMed, ABI/Inform Global, CINAHL, Cochrane, Emerald, Google Scholar, PsycINFO, SAGE, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science) were systematically searched for specific terms relating to mental health, CBR, and low- and middle-income country. A total of 27 publications were identified as fitting the criteria (4 qualitative, 20 quantitative including 10 randomized controlled trials, and 3 noninvestigatory editorials). Core skills have been identified along with themes that affect how programs work in particular contexts. The use of task shifting in this area may be a potentially viable option for increasing access to mental health care. This resulted in the development of a theory to explain the outcomes being observed. When Task-shifting mental health intervention skills collaboration, harnessing resources available within the community, and the provision of ongoing supervision interact to influence awareness gains, social bonding, the building of trust, and the development of skills and understanding within the community itself. This effects intervention buy-in, overall effectiveness and sustainability, mental health symptoms and local empowerment. These findings can be considered when developing training programs for CBR mental health workers, as well as policy and intervention program design. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved)
ALL Institute: Assisting Living & Learning
ToggleMac MacLachlan, Director, ALL Institute publishes new article in International Perspectives in Psychology
News
MU Psychology and ALL Institute Staff Among World's most Influential Researchers 2023
Dr Michael Daly and Professor Philip Hyland who have been recognised in the Clarivate Highly Cited 2023 listing – a distinction marking them as leaders in their fields.
Date: Monday, 20 November 2023
“The Future of Smart & Healthy Ageing: SHAPES Results, Recommendations & Reflections for an Inclusive Europe and a Participative Civil Society”
Significant challenges for European healthcare systems
Date: Tuesday, 14 November 2023
SHAPES meet with MEP Colm Markey to discuss their Call for Action
Launched this week by the SHAPES project in collaboration with our partner organisation, AIAS, this Call for Action stems from research findings and results recently presented in the European Parliament.
Date: Monday, 13 November 2023
ERC DANCING research team present at IALT Annual Conference 2023 at Dublin City University
A dedicated panel chaired by Principal Investigator Professor Delia Ferri saw Dr. Ann Leahy (post-doctoral researcher) and early career researchers Léa Urzel Francil (PhD candidate), Iryna Tekuchova (PhD candidate) and Eva Sophie Krolla (research assistant) discuss several aspects of the empirical and normative research conducted thus far under Work Packages (WPs) 1 and 2 of the project respectively.
Date: Monday, 13 November 2023
The Big Race: Artificial Intelligence and Healthy Ageing
From a healthy ageing perspective, A.I. holds exciting potential in assisting health professionals and experts to track patients’ health, use predictive tools to anticipate health decline, and make more informed decisions regarding treatment for older adults.
Date: Thursday, 19 October 2023
UN International Day of Older Persons, 1st October: Time to Discuss a United Nations Convention on the Rights of Older Persons
Despite the growth and reform of international disability law and policy in recent decades, and the adoption of the UN Principles for Older Persons in 1991, older adults have continued to face ageism and ableism, as well as forms of intersectional discrimination in a digitalising society in the 2020s.
Date: Monday, 16 October 2023
European Parliment endorsement and WHO Europe policy targeted by our SHAPES project
The SHAPES Project aims to facilitate long-term healthy and active ageing and the maintenance of a high-quality of life, in the community.
Date: Thursday, 12 October 2023
The DANCING Mid-Term Academic Conference: taking stock of the first three years and reflecting on the challenges of interdisciplinarity
With the aim of situating the on-going research within larger scholarly debates, the conference also served the purpose of gathering feedback, positive criticism and input on the remaining research tasks and activities of the DANCING research team.
Date: Tuesday, 03 October 2023
Maynooth University team triumphs in SFI-Irish Aid SDG Challenge
Maynooth research team to focus on neonatal mortality
Date: Thursday, 28 September 2023
ERC DANCING project hosts Mid-Term Academic Conference at Maynooth University
By marking the halfway point of the five-year project, the DANCING Mid-Term Academic Conference presented the interim findings and preliminary results of the project to academic peers in European Union Law, Disability Law and socio-legal studies.
Date: Friday, 22 September 2023