Professor Mesfin Araya - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Professor Mesfin Araya
Research Square (Research Square), Mar 30, 2020
Context: There is limited evidence on the extent of the perceived need for professional mental he... more Context: There is limited evidence on the extent of the perceived need for professional mental health care and barriers to the delivery of mental distress services among university students in low and middle-income countries. Objective: The current study was designed to assess the prevalence of mental distress, perceived need for professional mental health care and barriers to the delivery of the service for regular undergraduate university students. Methods: A multi-stage sampling technique was used to recruit 1135 regular undergraduate university students. Symptoms of mental distress were evaluated using the Self-Reported Questionnaire (SRQ-20) and a score of eight and above was used to identify positive cases. The perceived need for professional mental health care was assessed using one question with binary responses, whereas barriers to mental health care were assessed using Barriers to Access to Care Evaluation (BACE-30) tool. The association of demographic variables with total mean scores of BACE-III sub-scales was modeled using multiple linear regression. Results: The prevalence of mental distress symptoms was 34.6% and the perceived need for professional mental health care was 70.5%. The top five barriers to receiving professional mental health service were (a) thinking the problem would get better by itself, (b) being unsure where to go to get professional care, (c) wanting to solve the problem by own, (d) denying mental health problem, and (e) preferring to get alternative forms of mental care. Conclusions: The high prevalence of mental distress, mental health care gap, and the report of barriers to professional mental health care among Ethiopian regular undergraduate students is a call for action. Background Mental distress is among the most common type of experience that accompanies mental health problem characterized by a mixture of different complaints such as feeling sad, worried, tense or angry (1). Common mental disorders are a collective noun for anxiety, depression, and somatoform disorders that can adversely affect individuals across the world (2, 3). According to the World Health
Routledge eBooks, Jul 11, 2019
Research Square (Research Square), Nov 5, 2019
Context: There is limited evidence on the extent of the perceived need for professional mental he... more Context: There is limited evidence on the extent of the perceived need for professional mental health care and barriers to the delivery of mental distress services among university students in low and middle-income countries. Objective: The current study was designed to assess the prevalence of mental distress, perceived need for professional mental health care and barriers to the delivery of the service for regular undergraduate university students. Methods: A multi-stage sampling technique was used to recruit 1135 regular undergraduate university students. Symptoms of mental distress were evaluated using the Self-Reported Questionnaire (SRQ-20) and a score of eight and above was used to identify positive cases. The perceived need for professional mental health care was assessed using one question with binary responses, whereas barriers to mental health care were assessed using Barriers to Access to Care Evaluation (BACE-30) tool. The association of demographic variables with total mean scores of BACE-III sub-scales was modeled using multiple linear regression. Results: The prevalence of mental distress symptoms was 34.6% and the perceived need for professional mental health care was 70.5%. The top five barriers to receiving professional mental health service were (a) thinking the problem would get better by itself, (b) being unsure where to go to get professional care, (c) wanting to solve the problem by own, (d) denying mental health problem, and (e) preferring to get alternative forms of mental care. Conclusions: The high prevalence of mental distress, mental health care gap, and the report of barriers to professional mental health care among Ethiopian regular undergraduate students is a call for action. Keywords: Mental distress, Perceived need, Barrier, and Professional mental health care. Background Mental distressesare the most common type of mental health problems characterized which are by a mixture of different complaints and short duration [1]. They are non-psychotic mental health problems which consist of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and somatoform that can adversely affect the day to day activities of most individuals across the world [2, 3]. The impacts of depression
Psychology Research and Behavior Management
Background: Socio-culturally determined processes account for how individuals give meanings to he... more Background: Socio-culturally determined processes account for how individuals give meanings to health, illness, causal attributions, expectations from treatment, and related outcomes. There is limited evidence of explanatory models for mental distress among higher education institutions in Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to explore the explanatory models for mental distress among Wolaita Sodo University. Methods: The current study used a phenomenological research approach, and we collected data from 21 students. The participants were purposively recruited based on eligibility criteria. Semi-structured interviews were conducted from December 2017 to January 2018 using the Short Explanatory Models Interview. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed into the Amharic language and translated into English. Data were analyzed using framework analysis with the assistance of open code software 4.02. Results: Most students experienced symptoms of being anxious, fatigue, headaches and feelings of hopelessness. They labeled these symptoms like anxiety or stress. The most commonly reported causal explanations were psychosocial factors. Students perceived that their anxiety or stress was severe that mainly affected their mind, which in turn impacted their interactions with others, academic result, emotions and motivation to study. Almost all the students received care from informal sources, although they wanted to receive care from mental health professionals. They managed their mental distress using positive as well as negative coping strategies. Conclusion: The policy implication of our findings is that mental health interventions in higher education institutions in Ethiopia should take into account the explanatory models of students' psychological distress.
PLOS ONE
Background Mental disorders are becoming a growing public health problem worldwide, especially in... more Background Mental disorders are becoming a growing public health problem worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Regular and adequate supplies of appropriate, safe, and affordable medications are required to provide quality mental health services. However, significant proportions of the population with severe mental disorders are not getting access to treatment. Among others, the availability and affordability of psychotropic medicines are significant barriers for many patients in meeting their medication needs. This study aimed to assess the availability, prices, and affordability of essential psychotropic medicines in the private and public health sectors of Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study design was used in 60 retail medicine outlets from the public and private sectors. Stratified random and quota sampling were applied to select the retail outlets. Data was entered and analyzed using the preprogrammed WHO/HAI workbook ...
The Ecology of Health and Disease in Ethiopia, 2019
Additional file 1. Instruments used for data collection.
Additional file 2. Treatment adherence and dose.
Additional file 1. Instruments used for data collection.
Supplemental material, AUT730298_Lay_Abstract for Ethiopian community health workers' beliefs... more Supplemental material, AUT730298_Lay_Abstract for Ethiopian community health workers' beliefs and attitudes towards children with autism: Impact of a brief training intervention by Dejene Tilahun, Abebaw Fekadu, Bethlehem Tekola, Mesfin Araya, Ilona Roth, Basiro Davey, Charlotte Hanlon and Rosa A Hoekstra in Autism
BMC Psychology, 2021
Background The prevalence of mental distress among university students in low- and middle-income ... more Background The prevalence of mental distress among university students in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is increasing; however, the majority do not receive evidence-based psychological intervention. This calls for the provision of culturally adapted psychological therapy in higher education institutions in LMICs. The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of Interpersonal Psychotherapy adapted for Ethiopia (IPT-E) among Wolaita Sodo University students and to assess the preliminary outcomes of IPT-E in reducing symptoms of mental distress and in improving functioning. Methods We used a quasi-experimental single-group pre-post-test study design. As indicators of feasibility of IPT-E, we used consent, treatment completion and attrition. We used Client Satisfaction Questionnaire and semi-structured interview to measure the acceptability of the intervention, self-reporting IPT-E checklist to assess treatment adherence and World Health Organiz...
Ethiopian Medical Journal, 2017
Individual, domestic and organized violence affects people from individual to family, community a... more Individual, domestic and organized violence affects people from individual to family, community and country at large. The world is witnessing more than ever, a growing trend in violence. There is no spot on our planet that is immune from the scourge of human aggression. Few studies in our country have addressed violence and its outcomes. Since family is the unit that forms the basis of a community and beyond, most recent papers published in Ethiopia have focused on intimate partner violence while some have looked beyond household aggression. Though, the studies have all appropriately suggested recommendations, there is still need for further work focused particularly on the root causes of aggression at individual, group and community levels. There is an important need to address the effects of trauma and study the means and ways these have been attended to with traditionally accepted coping mechanisms. The advisability of launching programs aimed at different levels that might mitig...
Frontiers in Public Health, 2021
A worsening trend of critical shortages in senior health care workers across low- and middle-inco... more A worsening trend of critical shortages in senior health care workers across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in sub-Saharan Africa has been documented for decades. This is especially the case in Ethiopia that has severe shortage of mental health professionals. Consistent with the WHO recommended approach of task sharing for mental health care in LMICs, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which is an empirically validated psychological intervention aimed at increasing psychological flexibility, may be delivered by trained laypersons who have a grassroots presence. In this paper, we discuss the need for and potential role of ACT to be delivered by health extension workers (HEWs) to address mental health care needs across Ethiopia. To this end, we also reviewed previous studies that have examined the effectiveness of ACT-based interventions in African countries including in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and South Africa. All studies revealed significant improvements of v...
Context: There is limited evidence on the extent of the perceived need for professional mental he... more Context: There is limited evidence on the extent of the perceived need for professional mental health care and barriers to the delivery of mental distress services among university students in low and middle-income countries. Objective: The current study was designed to assess the prevalence of mental distress, perceived need for professional mental health care and barriers to the delivery of the service for regular undergraduate university students. Methods: A multi-stage sampling technique was used to recruit 1135 regular undergraduate university students. Symptoms of mental distress were evaluated using the Self-Reported Questionnaire (SRQ-20) and a score of eight and above was used to identify positive cases. The perceived need for professional mental health care was assessed using one question with binary responses, whereas barriers to mental health care were assessed using Barriers to Access to Care Evaluation (BACE-30) tool. The association of demographic variables with total...
Autism, 2017
There is a severe shortage of services for children with autism in Ethiopia; access to services i... more There is a severe shortage of services for children with autism in Ethiopia; access to services is further impeded by negative beliefs and stigmatising attitudes towards affected children and their families. To increase access to services, care provision is decentralised through task-shifted care by community health extension workers. This study aimed to examine the impact of a brief training (Health Education and Training; HEAT) for Ethiopian rural health extension workers and comprised three groups: (1) health extension workers who completed a basic mental health training module (HEAT group, N = 104); (2) health extension workers who received enhanced training, comprising basic HEAT as well as video-based training on developmental disorders and a mental health pocket guide (HEAT+ group, N = 97); and (3) health extension workers untrained in mental health (N = 108). All participants completed a questionnaire assessing beliefs and social distance towards children with autism. Both t...
International journal of mental health systems, 2017
Community health workers can help to address the substantial unmet need for child mental health c... more Community health workers can help to address the substantial unmet need for child mental health care in low and middle income countries. However, little is known about their training needs for this potential role. The aim of this study was to examine training needs and perspectives of community health extension workers (HEWs) in relation to providing child mental health care in rural Ethiopia. The study was conducted in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. A mixed methods approach was used. A total of 104 HEWs who had received training in child mental health using the Health Education and Training (HEAT) curriculum were interviewed using a structured survey. In-depth interviews were then conducted with 11 HEWs purposively selected on the basis of the administrative zone they had come from. A framework approach was used for qualitative data analysis. Most of the HEWs (88.5%; n = 93/104) reported that they were interested in the training provided an...
American journal of psychotherapy, 2014
Psychotherapies, such as Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), that have proven effective for treati... more Psychotherapies, such as Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), that have proven effective for treating mental disorders mostly lie dormant in consensus-treatment guidelines. Broadly disseminating these psychotherapies by training trainers and front-line health workers could close the gap between mental health needs and access to care. Research in continuing medical education and knowledge translation can inform the design of educational interventions to build capacity for providing psychotherapy to those who need it. This paper summarizes psychotherapy training recommendations that: adapt treatments to cultural and health organizational contexts; consider implementation barriers, including opportunity costs and mental health stigma; and engage local opinion leaders to use longitudinal, interactive, case-based teaching with reflection, skills-coaching, simulations, auditing and feedback. Community-based training projects in Northern Ontario, Canada and Ethiopia illustrate how best-educa...
Ethiopian medical journal, 2009
Mental health services in low income countries are inadequate. Health care delivery services in t... more Mental health services in low income countries are inadequate. Health care delivery services in these countries are mainly focused on vector-borne diseases and HIV/AIDS. To make the situation worse, trained health workers are leaving developing countries for higher paying jobs elsewhere; this "brain drain" is robbing countries of their energetic and highly trained manpower. In response to this dire situation, Ethiopia started a psychiatric nursing training program where by nurses are trained and assigned to different parts of the country as mental health workers. Their activities range from prescribing psychiatric and anti epileptic drugs to counselling and teaching the local community about early identification and prevention of mental and behavioural disorders. While decentralization of mental services started twenty years ago and has played a major role in promoting mental health in the country, more needs to be done to retain existing staff and attract more mental heal...
Ethiopian medical journal, 2005
Life in medical schools is said to be stressful leading to emotional distress. A study was conduc... more Life in medical schools is said to be stressful leading to emotional distress. A study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of mental distress among medical students of Addis Ababa University using a Self Report Questionnaire (SRQ) in 2001. The SRQ was distributed to the entire student population through class representatives. A total of 273 (80%) students returned completed questionnaires. Of these, 83.2% were males and over 85% were above the age of 20 years. About 70% were Orthodox Christians and nearly half of the study population was from Addis Ababa. The one month prevalence of mental distress was found to be 32.6%. Over 6.0% reported that they had suicidal ideation in the last one month. Females reported symptoms of mental distress more often than males, but the difference was not statistically significant (X2 =2.97, df= 1, P=0.08). Age and level of training were shown to have significant association with mental distress (Age, X2=20.88, df=2, p<0.001 and year of study,...
Transcultural Psychiatry, 2012
According to a literature of theory and advocacy, immigration and resettlement jeopardize the men... more According to a literature of theory and advocacy, immigration and resettlement jeopardize the mental health of children and youth, largely because of factors such as intergenerational tensions arising from conflicts about the retention of traditional values, and experiences of prejudice and discrimination. The current study examines the specificity of these putative mental health risks to the immigration experience. The level and predictors of emotional problems among preadolescent Ethiopians living in immigrant families in Toronto, Canada, were compared with a matched sample of Ethiopian youngsters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Data came from structured interviews with the person most knowledgeable about the family (usually a parent), as well as from the children themselves. Youth reported higher levels of emotional problems (EP) than their parents. Predictors differed for parent and child ratings. In both the Toronto and Addis Ababa samples, parental mental health predicted parent-rat...
Research Square (Research Square), Mar 30, 2020
Context: There is limited evidence on the extent of the perceived need for professional mental he... more Context: There is limited evidence on the extent of the perceived need for professional mental health care and barriers to the delivery of mental distress services among university students in low and middle-income countries. Objective: The current study was designed to assess the prevalence of mental distress, perceived need for professional mental health care and barriers to the delivery of the service for regular undergraduate university students. Methods: A multi-stage sampling technique was used to recruit 1135 regular undergraduate university students. Symptoms of mental distress were evaluated using the Self-Reported Questionnaire (SRQ-20) and a score of eight and above was used to identify positive cases. The perceived need for professional mental health care was assessed using one question with binary responses, whereas barriers to mental health care were assessed using Barriers to Access to Care Evaluation (BACE-30) tool. The association of demographic variables with total mean scores of BACE-III sub-scales was modeled using multiple linear regression. Results: The prevalence of mental distress symptoms was 34.6% and the perceived need for professional mental health care was 70.5%. The top five barriers to receiving professional mental health service were (a) thinking the problem would get better by itself, (b) being unsure where to go to get professional care, (c) wanting to solve the problem by own, (d) denying mental health problem, and (e) preferring to get alternative forms of mental care. Conclusions: The high prevalence of mental distress, mental health care gap, and the report of barriers to professional mental health care among Ethiopian regular undergraduate students is a call for action. Background Mental distress is among the most common type of experience that accompanies mental health problem characterized by a mixture of different complaints such as feeling sad, worried, tense or angry (1). Common mental disorders are a collective noun for anxiety, depression, and somatoform disorders that can adversely affect individuals across the world (2, 3). According to the World Health
Routledge eBooks, Jul 11, 2019
Research Square (Research Square), Nov 5, 2019
Context: There is limited evidence on the extent of the perceived need for professional mental he... more Context: There is limited evidence on the extent of the perceived need for professional mental health care and barriers to the delivery of mental distress services among university students in low and middle-income countries. Objective: The current study was designed to assess the prevalence of mental distress, perceived need for professional mental health care and barriers to the delivery of the service for regular undergraduate university students. Methods: A multi-stage sampling technique was used to recruit 1135 regular undergraduate university students. Symptoms of mental distress were evaluated using the Self-Reported Questionnaire (SRQ-20) and a score of eight and above was used to identify positive cases. The perceived need for professional mental health care was assessed using one question with binary responses, whereas barriers to mental health care were assessed using Barriers to Access to Care Evaluation (BACE-30) tool. The association of demographic variables with total mean scores of BACE-III sub-scales was modeled using multiple linear regression. Results: The prevalence of mental distress symptoms was 34.6% and the perceived need for professional mental health care was 70.5%. The top five barriers to receiving professional mental health service were (a) thinking the problem would get better by itself, (b) being unsure where to go to get professional care, (c) wanting to solve the problem by own, (d) denying mental health problem, and (e) preferring to get alternative forms of mental care. Conclusions: The high prevalence of mental distress, mental health care gap, and the report of barriers to professional mental health care among Ethiopian regular undergraduate students is a call for action. Keywords: Mental distress, Perceived need, Barrier, and Professional mental health care. Background Mental distressesare the most common type of mental health problems characterized which are by a mixture of different complaints and short duration [1]. They are non-psychotic mental health problems which consist of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and somatoform that can adversely affect the day to day activities of most individuals across the world [2, 3]. The impacts of depression
Psychology Research and Behavior Management
Background: Socio-culturally determined processes account for how individuals give meanings to he... more Background: Socio-culturally determined processes account for how individuals give meanings to health, illness, causal attributions, expectations from treatment, and related outcomes. There is limited evidence of explanatory models for mental distress among higher education institutions in Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to explore the explanatory models for mental distress among Wolaita Sodo University. Methods: The current study used a phenomenological research approach, and we collected data from 21 students. The participants were purposively recruited based on eligibility criteria. Semi-structured interviews were conducted from December 2017 to January 2018 using the Short Explanatory Models Interview. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed into the Amharic language and translated into English. Data were analyzed using framework analysis with the assistance of open code software 4.02. Results: Most students experienced symptoms of being anxious, fatigue, headaches and feelings of hopelessness. They labeled these symptoms like anxiety or stress. The most commonly reported causal explanations were psychosocial factors. Students perceived that their anxiety or stress was severe that mainly affected their mind, which in turn impacted their interactions with others, academic result, emotions and motivation to study. Almost all the students received care from informal sources, although they wanted to receive care from mental health professionals. They managed their mental distress using positive as well as negative coping strategies. Conclusion: The policy implication of our findings is that mental health interventions in higher education institutions in Ethiopia should take into account the explanatory models of students' psychological distress.
PLOS ONE
Background Mental disorders are becoming a growing public health problem worldwide, especially in... more Background Mental disorders are becoming a growing public health problem worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Regular and adequate supplies of appropriate, safe, and affordable medications are required to provide quality mental health services. However, significant proportions of the population with severe mental disorders are not getting access to treatment. Among others, the availability and affordability of psychotropic medicines are significant barriers for many patients in meeting their medication needs. This study aimed to assess the availability, prices, and affordability of essential psychotropic medicines in the private and public health sectors of Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study design was used in 60 retail medicine outlets from the public and private sectors. Stratified random and quota sampling were applied to select the retail outlets. Data was entered and analyzed using the preprogrammed WHO/HAI workbook ...
The Ecology of Health and Disease in Ethiopia, 2019
Additional file 1. Instruments used for data collection.
Additional file 2. Treatment adherence and dose.
Additional file 1. Instruments used for data collection.
Supplemental material, AUT730298_Lay_Abstract for Ethiopian community health workers' beliefs... more Supplemental material, AUT730298_Lay_Abstract for Ethiopian community health workers' beliefs and attitudes towards children with autism: Impact of a brief training intervention by Dejene Tilahun, Abebaw Fekadu, Bethlehem Tekola, Mesfin Araya, Ilona Roth, Basiro Davey, Charlotte Hanlon and Rosa A Hoekstra in Autism
BMC Psychology, 2021
Background The prevalence of mental distress among university students in low- and middle-income ... more Background The prevalence of mental distress among university students in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is increasing; however, the majority do not receive evidence-based psychological intervention. This calls for the provision of culturally adapted psychological therapy in higher education institutions in LMICs. The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of Interpersonal Psychotherapy adapted for Ethiopia (IPT-E) among Wolaita Sodo University students and to assess the preliminary outcomes of IPT-E in reducing symptoms of mental distress and in improving functioning. Methods We used a quasi-experimental single-group pre-post-test study design. As indicators of feasibility of IPT-E, we used consent, treatment completion and attrition. We used Client Satisfaction Questionnaire and semi-structured interview to measure the acceptability of the intervention, self-reporting IPT-E checklist to assess treatment adherence and World Health Organiz...
Ethiopian Medical Journal, 2017
Individual, domestic and organized violence affects people from individual to family, community a... more Individual, domestic and organized violence affects people from individual to family, community and country at large. The world is witnessing more than ever, a growing trend in violence. There is no spot on our planet that is immune from the scourge of human aggression. Few studies in our country have addressed violence and its outcomes. Since family is the unit that forms the basis of a community and beyond, most recent papers published in Ethiopia have focused on intimate partner violence while some have looked beyond household aggression. Though, the studies have all appropriately suggested recommendations, there is still need for further work focused particularly on the root causes of aggression at individual, group and community levels. There is an important need to address the effects of trauma and study the means and ways these have been attended to with traditionally accepted coping mechanisms. The advisability of launching programs aimed at different levels that might mitig...
Frontiers in Public Health, 2021
A worsening trend of critical shortages in senior health care workers across low- and middle-inco... more A worsening trend of critical shortages in senior health care workers across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in sub-Saharan Africa has been documented for decades. This is especially the case in Ethiopia that has severe shortage of mental health professionals. Consistent with the WHO recommended approach of task sharing for mental health care in LMICs, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which is an empirically validated psychological intervention aimed at increasing psychological flexibility, may be delivered by trained laypersons who have a grassroots presence. In this paper, we discuss the need for and potential role of ACT to be delivered by health extension workers (HEWs) to address mental health care needs across Ethiopia. To this end, we also reviewed previous studies that have examined the effectiveness of ACT-based interventions in African countries including in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and South Africa. All studies revealed significant improvements of v...
Context: There is limited evidence on the extent of the perceived need for professional mental he... more Context: There is limited evidence on the extent of the perceived need for professional mental health care and barriers to the delivery of mental distress services among university students in low and middle-income countries. Objective: The current study was designed to assess the prevalence of mental distress, perceived need for professional mental health care and barriers to the delivery of the service for regular undergraduate university students. Methods: A multi-stage sampling technique was used to recruit 1135 regular undergraduate university students. Symptoms of mental distress were evaluated using the Self-Reported Questionnaire (SRQ-20) and a score of eight and above was used to identify positive cases. The perceived need for professional mental health care was assessed using one question with binary responses, whereas barriers to mental health care were assessed using Barriers to Access to Care Evaluation (BACE-30) tool. The association of demographic variables with total...
Autism, 2017
There is a severe shortage of services for children with autism in Ethiopia; access to services i... more There is a severe shortage of services for children with autism in Ethiopia; access to services is further impeded by negative beliefs and stigmatising attitudes towards affected children and their families. To increase access to services, care provision is decentralised through task-shifted care by community health extension workers. This study aimed to examine the impact of a brief training (Health Education and Training; HEAT) for Ethiopian rural health extension workers and comprised three groups: (1) health extension workers who completed a basic mental health training module (HEAT group, N = 104); (2) health extension workers who received enhanced training, comprising basic HEAT as well as video-based training on developmental disorders and a mental health pocket guide (HEAT+ group, N = 97); and (3) health extension workers untrained in mental health (N = 108). All participants completed a questionnaire assessing beliefs and social distance towards children with autism. Both t...
International journal of mental health systems, 2017
Community health workers can help to address the substantial unmet need for child mental health c... more Community health workers can help to address the substantial unmet need for child mental health care in low and middle income countries. However, little is known about their training needs for this potential role. The aim of this study was to examine training needs and perspectives of community health extension workers (HEWs) in relation to providing child mental health care in rural Ethiopia. The study was conducted in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. A mixed methods approach was used. A total of 104 HEWs who had received training in child mental health using the Health Education and Training (HEAT) curriculum were interviewed using a structured survey. In-depth interviews were then conducted with 11 HEWs purposively selected on the basis of the administrative zone they had come from. A framework approach was used for qualitative data analysis. Most of the HEWs (88.5%; n = 93/104) reported that they were interested in the training provided an...
American journal of psychotherapy, 2014
Psychotherapies, such as Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), that have proven effective for treati... more Psychotherapies, such as Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), that have proven effective for treating mental disorders mostly lie dormant in consensus-treatment guidelines. Broadly disseminating these psychotherapies by training trainers and front-line health workers could close the gap between mental health needs and access to care. Research in continuing medical education and knowledge translation can inform the design of educational interventions to build capacity for providing psychotherapy to those who need it. This paper summarizes psychotherapy training recommendations that: adapt treatments to cultural and health organizational contexts; consider implementation barriers, including opportunity costs and mental health stigma; and engage local opinion leaders to use longitudinal, interactive, case-based teaching with reflection, skills-coaching, simulations, auditing and feedback. Community-based training projects in Northern Ontario, Canada and Ethiopia illustrate how best-educa...
Ethiopian medical journal, 2009
Mental health services in low income countries are inadequate. Health care delivery services in t... more Mental health services in low income countries are inadequate. Health care delivery services in these countries are mainly focused on vector-borne diseases and HIV/AIDS. To make the situation worse, trained health workers are leaving developing countries for higher paying jobs elsewhere; this "brain drain" is robbing countries of their energetic and highly trained manpower. In response to this dire situation, Ethiopia started a psychiatric nursing training program where by nurses are trained and assigned to different parts of the country as mental health workers. Their activities range from prescribing psychiatric and anti epileptic drugs to counselling and teaching the local community about early identification and prevention of mental and behavioural disorders. While decentralization of mental services started twenty years ago and has played a major role in promoting mental health in the country, more needs to be done to retain existing staff and attract more mental heal...
Ethiopian medical journal, 2005
Life in medical schools is said to be stressful leading to emotional distress. A study was conduc... more Life in medical schools is said to be stressful leading to emotional distress. A study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of mental distress among medical students of Addis Ababa University using a Self Report Questionnaire (SRQ) in 2001. The SRQ was distributed to the entire student population through class representatives. A total of 273 (80%) students returned completed questionnaires. Of these, 83.2% were males and over 85% were above the age of 20 years. About 70% were Orthodox Christians and nearly half of the study population was from Addis Ababa. The one month prevalence of mental distress was found to be 32.6%. Over 6.0% reported that they had suicidal ideation in the last one month. Females reported symptoms of mental distress more often than males, but the difference was not statistically significant (X2 =2.97, df= 1, P=0.08). Age and level of training were shown to have significant association with mental distress (Age, X2=20.88, df=2, p<0.001 and year of study,...
Transcultural Psychiatry, 2012
According to a literature of theory and advocacy, immigration and resettlement jeopardize the men... more According to a literature of theory and advocacy, immigration and resettlement jeopardize the mental health of children and youth, largely because of factors such as intergenerational tensions arising from conflicts about the retention of traditional values, and experiences of prejudice and discrimination. The current study examines the specificity of these putative mental health risks to the immigration experience. The level and predictors of emotional problems among preadolescent Ethiopians living in immigrant families in Toronto, Canada, were compared with a matched sample of Ethiopian youngsters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Data came from structured interviews with the person most knowledgeable about the family (usually a parent), as well as from the children themselves. Youth reported higher levels of emotional problems (EP) than their parents. Predictors differed for parent and child ratings. In both the Toronto and Addis Ababa samples, parental mental health predicted parent-rat...