Low intensity interventions for psychological symptoms following mass trauma

Abstract

With the increased recognition of mental health as part of global health agendas, the substantial gap between mental health needs and access to evidence-based treatment services in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) has been exposed. More than 80% of the world's population reside in these lower resource settings where exposure to adverse living conditions and mass trauma is widespread. However, less than 20% of mental health resources are managed by LMICs. Evidence-informed psychological and psychosocial interventions that have been adapted for trauma-affected LMICs and can be delivered by non-specialist providers offer one solution to filling this treatment gap. While the evidence for these low-intensity interventions is mounting, many challenges remain that impinge on the effective implementation of such interventions in these settings. These include the selection of delivery agents, the duration and methods of training and supervision, and challenges related to implementation and local government ownership. This chapter examines the current literature on low-intensity interventions in LMICs and provides a brief commentary on the existing challenges to implementation.