Log in or become a member to contribute to the discussion.
Page type: 
Research summaries and systematic reviews
Publication date: 
2017
WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) Intervention Guide: a systematic review of evidence from low and middle-income countries

Authors: Roxanne C Keynejad, Tarun Dua, Corrado Barbui and Graham Thornicroft

Question

Despite mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) disorders being highly prevalent, there is a worldwide gap between service need and provision. WHO launched its Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) in 2008, and the Intervention Guide (mhGAP-IG) in 2010. mhGAP-IG provides evidence-based guidance and tools for assessment and integrated management of priority MNS disorders in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), using clinical decision-making protocols. It targets a non-specialised primary healthcare audience, but has also been used by ministries, non-governmental organisations and academics, for mental health service scale-up in 90 countries. This review aimed to identify evidence to date for mhGAP-IG implementation in LMICs.

Findings

We conducted a systematic review of evidence to date, of mhGAP-IG implementation and evaluation in LMICs. 33 included studies reported:

  • 15 training courses
  • 9 clinical implementations
  • 3 country contextualisations
  • 3 economic models
  • 2 uses as control interventions
  • 1 use to develop a rating scale.

Our review identified the importance of detailed reports of contextual challenges in the field, alongside detailed protocols, qualitative studies and randomised controlled trials. 

Conclusions

The mhGAP-IG literature is substantial, relative to other published evaluations of clinical practice guidelines: an important contribution to a neglected field.

Approach: 
Task sharing
Detection and diagnosis
Treatment, care and rehabilitation
Training, education and capacity building
Disorder: 
All disorders
Setting: 
Community
Primary care
Region: 
Africa
Middle East
South America
Asia
How useful did you find this content?: 
0
Your rating: None
5
Average: 5 (1 vote)

Similar content