We examined whether the addition of community-based accompaniment to Rwanda's national model for antiretroviral treatment (ART) was associated with greater improvements in patients' psychosocial health outcomes during the first year of therapy. We enrolled 610 HIV-infected adults with CD4 cell counts under 350 cells/μL initiating ART in one of two programs. Both programs … [Read more...] about Community-based accompaniment and psychosocial health outcomes in HIV-infected adults in Rwanda: a prospective study
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)
Detection of antenatal depression in rural HIV-affected populations with short and ultrashort versions of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)
Approaches that incorporate CHWs in the detection and management of perinatal mental disorders have shown potential, with research demonstrating the capacity of CHWs to deliver treatment for both HIV (Selke et al. 2010) and maternal depression (Rahman 2005; Rahman et al. 2008). However, actualizing this potential at a larger scale requires short, effective screening measures to … [Read more...] about Detection of antenatal depression in rural HIV-affected populations with short and ultrashort versions of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)
Lessons from case studies of integrating mental health into primary health care in South Africa and Uganda
Community level self-help groups in South Africa focused on CMDs, with CHWs using the training received to establish these groups. The majority were formed to assist HIV infected and affected women. (2011) … [Read more...] about Lessons from case studies of integrating mental health into primary health care in South Africa and Uganda
The Feasibility of Adapted Group-Based Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) for the Treatment of Depression by Community Health Workers Within the Context of Task Shifting in South Africa
Within the context of a large treatment gap for depression and a scarcity of specialist resources, there is a need for task shifting to scale up mental health services to address this gap in South Africa. This study assessed the feasibility of an adapted manualized version of grouped based Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) for use by supervised community health workers through a … [Read more...] about The Feasibility of Adapted Group-Based Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) for the Treatment of Depression by Community Health Workers Within the Context of Task Shifting in South Africa
Mental Health and HIV
Highlights the key mental health issues in the continuum of HIV care and reviews promising programmatic practices for addressing these issues in resource-constrained settings. This tool provides links to important resources and tools for program planners and health care providers concerned about mental health issues in HIV care and support. (2009) … [Read more...] about Mental Health and HIV
