Researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London were involved in a global collaboration, hosted by the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), resulting in two reports on improving mental health research in countries across Africa.
The reports are based on two workshops from November 2022 that focused on mental health research and supporting career development in countries across Africa including South Africa, Ghana, Ethiopia and Nigeria. IoPPN academics contributing to the reports included Professor Louise Arseneault (co-chair with Professor Tholene Sodi), Dr Rina Dutta, Professor Charlotte Hanlon, Professor Crick Lund and Professor Melanie Abas.
Improving mental health research in countries across Africa
Although there is some evidence of increasing investment in research and awareness of mental health issues, mental health services are a neglected aspect of healthcare across countries in Africa. More than 70 researchers, policymakers and wider stakeholders joined the workshop from across the continent, including South Africa, Ghana, Ethiopia and Nigeria, to discuss how best to take forward mental health research in the region and identify research gaps. During the workshop, Professor Crick Lund gave a plenary presentation on social determinants of mental health.
Discussions identified that there remains an urgent need for additional research across all stages of the mental health translational pathway and that it is critical key research gaps are addressed to tackle the challenge of mental health.
In particular, new studies need to consider the fundamental importance of social factors such as gender, age, and geographic area, as well as biology in mental health outcomes. Recent years have seen additional evidence published on the effectiveness of mental health interventions, showing those that target the social determinants could deliver benefits for large numbers of people over prolonged periods of time.
