Impact of simple conventional and Telehealth solutions on improving mental health in Afghanistan

For more than a century Afghanistan has been unstable, facing decades of war, social problems, and intense poverty. As a result, many of the population suffer from a variety of mental health problems. The Government recognises the situation and has prioritised mental health, but progress is slow and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of telemedicine and telecare 2016-12, Vol.22 (8), p.495-498
Main Authors: Khoja, Shariq, Scott, Richard, Husyin, Nida, Durrani, Hammad, Arif, Maria, Faqiri, Faqir, Hedayat, Ebadullah, Yousufzai, Wahab
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Access roads
Afghanistan
Communities
Consultancy services
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression - therapy
Female
Health
Health care
Humans
Male
Mental Disorders - therapy
Mental health
Mental Health Services
Patients
Program Evaluation
Psychotic Disorders - therapy
Quality Improvement
Remote Consultation - methods
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - therapy
Substance-Related Disorders - therapy
Telecare
Telemedicine
Telemedicine - methods
Young Adult
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Summary:For more than a century Afghanistan has been unstable, facing decades of war, social problems, and intense poverty. As a result, many of the population suffer from a variety of mental health problems. The Government recognises the situation and has prioritised mental health, but progress is slow and services outside of Kabul remain poor. An international collaborative implemented a project in Badakshan province of Afghanistan using conventional and simple low-cost e-Health solutions to address the four most common issues: depression, psychosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse. Conventional town hall meetings informed community members to raise awareness and knowledge. In addition, an android-based mobile application used the World Health Organization’s Mental Health Gap Action Programme guidelines and protocols to: collect information from community healthcare workers; provide referral services to patients; provide blended learning to improve providers’ mental health knowledge, skills, and practice; and to provide store-and-forward and live consultations. Preliminary evaluation of the intervention shows enhanced access to care for remote communities, decreased stigma, and improved quality of health services. Primary care workers are also able to bridge the gap in consultations for rural and remote communities, connecting them with specialists and providing better access to care.
ISSN:1357-633X
1758-1109
DOI:10.1177/1357633X16674631