Cumulative exposure to depressive symptoms and all-cause mortality among adults living with HIV in Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda.

OBJECTIVE: :We estimated the effects of cumulative exposure to depressive symptoms on risk of all-cause mortality among people living with HIV in four African countries. DESIGN: :Analysis of prospective cohort data. METHODS: :The African Cohort Study (AFRICOS) is a prospective cohort of people receiving care at twelve clinics in Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. Every six months from January 2013 to May 2020, participants underwent laboratory monitoring, structured surveys, and assessment of depressive symptom severity using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). All-cause mortality was the outcome of interest. The predictor of interest was a time-updated measure of the percentage of days lived with depression (PDD). Marginal structural Cox proportional hazards regression models were used, adjusting for potential confounders including time-varying alcohol use, drug use, and viral load. RESULTS: :Among 2520 enrolled participants, 1479 (59%) were women and the median age was 38 (interquartile range [IQR]: 32-46). At enrollment, 1438 (57%) were virally suppressed (<200 copies/mL) and 457 (18%) had CES-D ≥ 16, indicating possible depression. Across 9093 observed person-years, the median PDD was 0.7% (IQR: 0-5.9%) with 0.8 deaths per 100 person-years. Leading causes of death included cancer (18% of deaths) and accidents (14%). Models suggested that each 25% absolute increase in PDD was associated with a 69% increase in the risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.18-2.43). CONCLUSIONS: :Cumulative exposure to depressive symptoms was substantially associated with the risk of mortality in this cohort of PLWH in Africa.

Making cities mental health friendly for adolescents and young adults.

Urban life shapes the mental health of city dwellers, and although cities provide access to health, education and economic gain, urban environments are often detrimental to mental health1,2. Increasing urbanization over the next three decades will be accompanied by a growing population of children and adolescents living in cities3. Shaping the aspects of urban life that influence youth mental health could have an enormous impact on adolescent well-being and adult trajectories4. We invited a multidisciplinary, global group of researchers, practitioners, advocates and young people to complete sequential surveys to identify and prioritize the characteristics of a mental health-friendly city for young people. Here we show a set of ranked characteristic statements, grouped by personal, interpersonal, community, organizational, policy and environmental domains of intervention. Life skills for personal development, valuing and accepting young people's ideas and choices, providing safe public space for social connection, employment and job security, centring youth input in urban planning and design, and addressing adverse social determinants were priorities by domain. We report the adversities that COVID-19 generated and link relevant actions to these data. Our findings highlight the need for intersectoral, multilevel intervention and for inclusive, equitable, participatory design of cities that support youth mental health.

"A labor of love": Integrating mental health and HIV care: Lessons from a multicountry mental health learning network.

Mental health conditions among people living with HIV (PLWH) are important to address as they adversely affect quality of life, impede adherence to HIV treatment and increase mortality. Planning for integrating mental health care in resource-limited HIV care settings requires substantial effort. Learning networks are a useful way to exchange knowledge between countries about best and current practices in planning mental health care for PLWH. This paper describes the launch of a mental health learning network within a global health implementing center and the lessons learned across participating members from six countries: the United States, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Zimbabwe, Malawi and India. Lessons learned from the learning network sessions spanned four broad domains: (i) the need for routine and integrated mental health data collection, (ii) developing standardized protocols to implement mental health care, (iii) adequate training and supervision of health care staff and (iv) prioritization of mental health care integration by program funders. We find that time and resource constraints can be barriers to shared leadership and sustainability of learning networks. Prioritizing learning networks as an important component of integrated HIV and mental health care programs is one of the potential strategies to ensure long-term continuity.

Global Mental Health: Where We Are and Where We Are Going.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize recent findings in global mental health along several domains including socioeconomic determinants, inequities, funding, and inclusion in global mental health research and practice. RECENT FINDINGS: Mental illness continues to disproportionately impact vulnerable populations and treatment coverage continues to be low globally. Advances in integrating mental health care and adopting task-shifting are accompanied by implementation challenges. The mental health impact of recent global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geo-political events, and environmental change is likely to persist and require coordinated care approaches for those in need of psychosocial support. Inequities also exist in funding for global mental health and there has been gradual progress in terms of building local capacity for mental health care programs and research. Lastly, there is an increasing effort to include people with lived experiences of mental health in research and policy shaping efforts. The field of global mental health will likely continue to be informed by evidence and perspectives originating increasingly from low- and middle-income countries along with ongoing global events and centering of relevant stakeholders.

Tracking development assistance for health from India to low- and middle-income countries, 2009-2020.

BACKGROUND: Development assistance for health (DAH) is an important source of financing for health for many low-income and some middle-income countries. Most DAH has predominantly been contributed by high-income countries. However, in the context of economic progress and changing global priorities, DAH contributions from countries of the Global South such as India have gained importance. In this paper, we estimate DAH contributed by India between 2009 and 2020. METHODS: We leveraged data from budgetary documents, databases, and financial reports of the Ministry of External Affairs and multilateral organizations to estimate DAH contributions. The proportions of development assistance that go towards health in major recipient countries were estimated and reported by recipient country and year. RESULTS: Between 2009 and 2020, DAH contributed by India to bilateral and multilateral partners totaled $206.0 million. South Asian countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar received the most DAH from India. DAH contributed relative to DAH received ranged from 1.42% in 2009 to 5.26% in 2018, the latest year with country-level data. Health focus areas prioritized by India included technical training and innovation, health care infrastructure support, and supply of medications and medical equipment. CONCLUSION: India is an important development partner to many countries-particularly to those in the South Asian region. India's DAH allocation strategy prioritizes contributions toward neighboring countries in the South Asia region in several health focus areas. Detailed project-level data are needed to estimate DAH contributions from India with greater precision and accuracy.

The global gap in treatment coverage for major depressive disorder in 84 countries from 2000-2019: A systematic review and Bayesian meta-regression analysis.

BACKGROUND: The treatment coverage for major depressive disorder (MDD) is low in many parts of the world despite MDD being a major contributor to disability globally. Most existing reviews of MDD treatment coverage do not account for potential sources of study-level heterogeneity that contribute to variation in reported treatment rates. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the evidence and analytically quantify sources of heterogeneity to report updated estimates of MDD treatment coverage and gaps by location and treatment type between 2000 and 2019. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify relevant studies that provided data on treatment rates for MDD between January 1, 2000, and November 26, 2021, from 2 online scholarly databases PubMed and Embase. Cohort and cross-sectional studies were included if treatment rates pertaining to the last 12 months or less were reported directly or if sufficient information was available to calculate this along with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). Studies were included if they made use of population-based surveys that were representative of communities, countries, or regions under study. Studies were included if they used established diagnostic criteria to diagnose cases of MDD. Sample and methodological characteristics were extracted from selected studies. Treatment rates were modeled using a Bayesian meta-regression approach and adjusted for select covariates that quantified heterogeneity in the data. These covariates included age, sex, treatment type, location, and choice of MDD assessment tool. A total of 149 studies were included for quantitative analysis. Treatment coverage for health service use ranged from 51% [95% UI 20%, 82%] in high-income locations to 20% [95% UI 1%, 53%] in low- and lower middle-income locations. Treatment coverage for mental health service use ranged from 33% [95% UI 8%, 66%] in high-income locations to 8% [95% UI <1%, 36%] in low- and lower middle-income countries. Minimally adequate treatment (MAT) rates ranged from 23% [95% UI 2%, 55%] in high-income countries to 3% [95% UI <1%, 25%]) in low- and lower middle-income countries. A primary methodological limitation was the lack of sufficient data from low- and lower middle-income countries, which precluded our ability to provide more detailed treatment rate estimates. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we observed that the treatment coverage for MDD continues to be low in many parts of the world and in particular in low- and lower middle-income countries. There is a continued need for routine data collection that will help obtain more accurate estimates of treatment coverage globally.

Factors associated with the disbursements of development assistance for health in low-income and middle-income countries, 2002-2017.

INTRODUCTION: In 2017, development assistance for health (DAH) comprised 5.3% of total health spending in low-income countries. Despite the key role DAH plays in global health-spending, little is known about the characteristics of assistance that may be associated with committed assistance that is actually disbursed. In this analysis, we examine associations between these characteristics and disbursement of committed assistance. METHODS: We extracted data from the Creditor Reporting System of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, and the WHO National Health Accounts database. Factors examined were off-budget assistance, administrative assistance, publicly sourced assistance and assistance to health systems strengthening. Recipient-country characteristics examined were perceived level of corruption, civil fragility and gross domestic product per capita (GDPpc). We used linear regression methods for panel of data to assess the proportion of committed aid that was disbursed for a given country-year, for each data source. RESULTS: Factors that were associated with a higher disbursement rates include off-budget aid (p<0.001), lower administrative expenses (p<0.01), lower perceived corruption in recipient country (p<0.001), lower fragility in recipient country (p<0.05) and higher GDPpc (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Substantial gaps remain between commitments and disbursements. Characteristics of assistance (administrative, publicly sourced) and indicators of government transparency and fragility are also important drivers associated with disbursement of DAH. There remains a continued need for better aid flow reporting standards and clarity around aid types for better measurement of DAH.

Estimating the risk of suicide associated with mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-regression analysis.

BACKGROUND: Mental disorders (MDs) are known risk factors for suicide. This systematic review updates the evidence base for this association and improves upon analytic approaches by incorporating study-level and methodological variables to account for measurement error in pooled suicide risk estimates. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted to review studies on MDs as risk factors for suicide. Relevant studies were searched using PubMed, Embase, PsychINFO, and existing reviews from 2010 to 19. Studies were eligible if they were longitudinal/case-control studies, representative of the general population, used diagnostic instruments, and quantified suicide risk. The outcome assessed was relative risks (RRs) for suicide due to MDs. A multi-level meta-regression approach was used to obtain pooled RRs adjusted for covariates and between-study effects. FINDINGS: We identified 20 eligible studies yielding 69 RRs. Disorder type, age, sex, use of psychological autopsy, study design, and adjustment for confounders were tested as predictors of pooled suicide risk. Overall, all disorders were significant predictors of suicide with predicted adjusted RRs ranging from 4·11 [2·09, 8·09] for dysthymia to 7·64 [4·3, 13·58] for major depressive disorder. INTERPRETATION: Our results indicate that MDs are important risk factors for suicide. This systematic review provides pooled RRs that have been adjusted for methodological sources of bias. Findings from our paper may inform suicide prevention strategies as part of national health agendas.

Mental Health Consequences for Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review to Draw Lessons for LMICs.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs) particularly in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). This scoping review provides a summary of current evidence on the mental health consequences of COVID on HCWs. Methods: A scoping review was conducted searching PubMed and Embase for articles relevant to mental health conditions among HCWs during COVID-19. Relevant articles were screened and extracted to summarize key outcomes and findings. Results: A total of fifty-one studies were included in this review. Depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, psychological trauma, insomnia and sleep quality, workplace burnout and fatigue, and distress were the main outcomes reviewed. Most studies found a high number of symptoms endorsed for depression, anxiety, and other conditions. We found differences in symptoms by sex, age, and HCW role, with female, younger-aged, frontline workers, and non-physician workers being affected more than other subgroups. Conclusion: This review highlights the existing burden of mental health conditions reported by HCWs during COVID-19. It also demonstrates emerging disparities among affected HCW subgroups. This scoping review emphasizes the importance of generating high quality evidence and developing informed interventions for HCW mental health with a focus on LMICs.

Mental Distress and Human Rights Violations During COVID-19: A Rapid Review of the Evidence Informing Rights, Mental Health Needs, and Public Policy Around Vulnerable Populations.

Background: COVID-19 prevention and mitigation efforts were abrupt and challenging for most countries with the protracted lockdown straining socioeconomic activities. Marginalized groups and individuals are particularly vulnerable to adverse effects of the pandemic such as human rights abuses and violations which can lead to psychological distress. In this review, we focus on mental distress and disturbances that have emanated due to human rights restrictions and violations amidst the pandemic. We underscore how mental health is both directly impacted by the force of pandemic and by prevention and mitigation structures put in place to combat the disease. Methods: We conducted a review of relevant studies examining human rights violations in COVID-19 response, with a focus on vulnerable populations, and its association with mental health and psychological well-being. We searched PubMed and Embase databases for studies between December 2019 to July 2020. Three reviewers evaluated the eligibility criteria and extracted data. Results: Twenty-four studies were included in the systematic inquiry reporting on distress due to human rights violations. Unanimously, the studies found vulnerable populations to be at a high risk for mental distress. Limited mobility rights disproportionately harmed psychiatric patients, low-income individuals, and minorities who were at higher risk for self-harm and worsening mental health. Healthcare workers suffered negative mental health consequences due to stigma and lack of personal protective equipment and stigma. Other vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, and refugees also experienced negative consequences. Conclusions: This review emphasizes the need to uphold human rights and address long term mental health needs of populations that have suffered disproportionately during the pandemic. Countries can embed a proactive psychosocial response to medical management as well as in existing prevention strategies. International human rights guidelines are useful in this direction but an emphasis should be placed on strengthening rights informed psychosocial response with specific strategies to enhance mental health in the long-term. We underscore that various fundamental human rights are interdependent and therefore undermining one leads to a poor impact on the others. We strongly recommend global efforts toward focusing both on minimizing fatalities, protecting human rights, and promoting long term mental well-being.

Perceived burdensomeness is associated with low-lethality suicide attempts, dysfunctional interpersonal style, and younger rather than older age.

OBJECTIVES: Perceived burdensomeness is thought to contribute to suicide risk. However, suicidal behavior is clinically and psychologically heterogeneous. Does a high level of perceived burdensomeness differentiate medically serious suicidal acts, most closely resembling death by suicide, from less serious ones? How is perceived burdensomeness related to dysfunctional personality dimensions implicated in suicide? We sought to answer these questions in a cross-sectional, case-control study of adults, aged 42 years or older (n = 165). METHODS: Participants were suicidal depressed with history of high-lethality and low-lethality attempts, depressed with serious suicidal ideation, depressed non-suicidal, and psychiatrically healthy controls. Following detailed clinical characterization, we assessed perceived burdensomeness, the Big Five, impulsivity, and anger rumination. RESULTS: Low-lethality attempters reported the highest levels of perceived burdensomeness, followed by ideators, high-lethality attempters, non-suicidal depressed, and healthy controls. Group differences were robust to confounders, including demographics, severity of depression, and physical illness burden. In suicide attempters, perceived burdensomeness scaled positively with neuroticism, impulsivity, and anger and negatively with extraversion, conscientiousness, and age. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that perceived burdensomeness is most prominent in a subgroup of younger individuals with lower-lethality suicide attempts and a dysfunctional interpersonal style. Older adults with high-lethality attempts are surprisingly more resilient to the feelings of burdensomeness. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.