Empowering health workers and leveraging digital technology to improve access to mental health and epilepsy care: A longitudinal quasi-experimental study in Hlaing Thar Yar Township.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite an estimated 8% prevalence of mental disorders in Myanmar, the treatment gap is high, up to 90%. This project aimed to assess the effects of a series of activities implemented by the Myanmar Medical Association over a 2-year period in Hlaing Thar Yar Township involving community health workers (CHWs) and general practitioners (GPs) on the identification, diagnosis and management of people with psychotic disorders, depression and epilepsy.

Methods

Seventy-six CHWs were trained to raise awareness, identify people with mental disorders and refer them to GPs. Fifty GPs were upskilled to diagnose and manage patients. Prevalence, treatment gap and general population's Knowledge-Attitudes-Practices (KAP) were evaluated through door-to-door surveys, whilst CHWs' a

SUBMITTER: Gyee KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10305864 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature