Evaluation of the impacts of a district-level mental health care plan on contact coverage, detection and individual outcomes in rural Uganda: a mixed methods approach.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The burden of mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries is large. Yet there is a major treatment gap for these disorders which can be reduced by integrating the care of mental disorders in primary care.

Aim

We aimed to evaluate the impact of a district mental health care plan (MHCP) on contact coverage for and detection of mental disorders, as well as impact on mental health symptom severity and individual functioning in rural Uganda.

Results

For adults who attended primary care facilities, there was an immediate positive effect of the MHCP on clinical detection at 3 months although this was not sustained at 12 months. Those who were treated in primary care experienced significant reductions in symptom severity and functional impairment over 12 m

SUBMITTER: Nakku JEM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6767634 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature