Effective mental health care takes many forms, says a new study

Dr. Kaaren Mathias coordinates an international team studying the quality of mental health goods in Ghana, India, Occupied Palestine and South Africa.

Dr. Mathias is a public health practitioner and Senior Lecturer in the School of Health Sciences at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC). It was one of 39 academics and community partners from 24 countries brought together by King’s College London to examine how mental health care is defined and provided with medical or clinical resources. The West is not available or not available.

The work is published in the newspaper PLOS Global Public Health.

The team wanted to challenge the public health deficit model that often pits low-income countries against the cultural practices and ideologies of rich countries. This approach focuses on resources that society does not have, and underestimates or ignores its strengths, yet countries like New Zealand can learn from these strengths.

Dr. Mathias points out that this lens of scarcity even supports the terms used to describe the population of the Global South—found mainly—though not exclusively—in Africa, Asia, and South America.

“Low- and middle-income countries are often described as the ‘developing world,'” he says. “They are compared to countries like New Zealand that are in the ‘developed world,’ and that language is already removing the diversity of intelligence and experience that is equally important, and that we can learn from here. ”

Dr. Mathias led a team of researchers who asked how mental health care is defined and provided by families, community groups, and “other professionals with experience” in selected countries. Having grown up in India until the age of eight and then worked there for 15 years, she has seen first-hand how effective mental health care can be provided in the community.

She gives the example of a women’s psychosocial support group in her neighborhood in the small town of Mussoorie, North India, that came together to share support and skills. This included childcare assistance, encouraging each other to exercise, and creating a support plan for a group member who disclosed intimate partner abuse.

Dr. Mathias says the mental health benefits of the project were extended to the entire team, as the women gained a strong sense of commitment and empowerment from working together.

They said, ‘Look at us – we did this. It was great that this health worker asked us to meet, but even if he goes, we are all friends now and will continue to support each other. the rest.'”

Although he believes that effective mental health care must include access to medication and trained medical professionals, Dr. Mathias believes that there is a need to re-examine opportunities to collaborate with local resources that can improve mental health.

“It could be a church group that provides a homework group for refugee and migrant children, or a group that walks together or goes up to the Port Hills to see the Matariki stars. These things are very supportive mental health, and if we only focus on formal supports, we’re missing out on other important things we can do to help people stay healthy.”