Mental health interventions for refugees in Africa: a scoping review of implementation and motivations

Abstract

Background: The global refugee crisis and rising instability have intensified mental health challenges, particularly among refugee populations. Various stakeholders have introduced interventions to address issues such as trauma, stress, anxiety, and depression. However, the specific interventions being implemented in African contexts, their effectiveness, and the motivations behind them remain unclear. This scoping review explores two research questions: (1) What mental health interventions are being implemented among refugees in Africa, and what key findings, recommendations, and challenges have been reported? (2) What are the underlying motivations for implementing these interventions? Methods: We conducted a systematic search of Web of Science, PubMed, and PsycINFO for articles published between 2010 and 2024. Guided by PRISMA standards and Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework, we addressed the first research question by summarizing data in tabular form. For the second question, we performed qualitative content analysis to identify common motivational themes, which were also presented in summary tables and expanded upon in the discussion. Results: Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the interventions produced positive mental health outcomes. Common recommendations included partnering with local organizations, implementing regular suicide prevention efforts, and customizing digital tools to community needs. Thematic analysis revealed five motivations driving intervention efforts: community needs, recognition of risk and protective factors, adaptability and scalability, holistic mental health approaches, and emphasis on evidence-based practices. Conclusion: There is a limited number of mental health interventions implemented in refugee communities across Africa. Many lack alignment with the specific needs of the populations they aim to serve. Future efforts should prioritize culturally informed, evidence-based mental health interventions that are both context-sensitive and scalable.