Changes in rates of psychiatric beds and prison populations in sub-Saharan Africa from 1990 to 2020.

Background: Psychiatric bed numbers (general, forensic, and residential) and prison populations have been considered indicators of institutionalization. The present study aimed to assess changes of those indicators across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) from 1990 to 2020. Methods: We retrospectively obtained data on psychiatric bed numbers and prison populations from 46 countries in SSA between 1990 and 2020. Mean and median rates, as well as percentage changes between first and last data points were calculated for all of SSA and for groups of countries based on income levels. Results: Primary data were retrieved from 17 out of 48 countries. Data from secondary sources were used for 29 countries. From two countries, data were unavailable. The median rate of psychiatric beds decreased from 3.0 to 2.2 per 100 000 population (median percentage change = -16.1%) between 1990 and 2020. Beds in forensic and residential facilities were nonexistent in most countries of SSA in 2020, and no trend for building those capacities was detected. The median prison population rate also decreased from 77.8 to 71.0 per 100 000 population (-7.8%). There were lower rates of psychiatric beds and prison populations in low-income and lower-middle income countries compared with upper-middle income countries. Conclusions: SSA countries showed, on average, a reduction of psychiatric bed rates from already very low levels, which may correspond to a crisis in acute psychiatric care. Psychiatric bed rates were, on average, about one twenty-fifth of countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), while prison population rates were similar. The heterogeneity of trends among SSA countries over the last three decades indicates that developments in the region may not have been based on coordinated policies and reflects unique circumstances faced by the individual countries.

Moderators of treatment response to trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy among youth in Zambia.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of mental health interventions such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) may vary by client, caregiver, and intervention-level variables, but few randomized trials in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) have conducted moderation analyses to investigate these characteristics. This study explores moderating factors to TF-CBT treatment response among a sample of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Zambia. METHODS: Data were obtained from a completed randomized trial of TF-CBT among 257 OVC in Zambia. Trauma symptoms and functioning were measured at baseline and following the end of treatment. Mixed effects regression models were estimated for each moderator of interest: gender, age, number of trauma types experienced, history of sexual abuse, orphan status, primary caretaker, school status, and parental involvement in treatment. RESULTS: Treatment effectiveness was moderated by history of sexual abuse with greater reductions in both outcomes (trauma, p < .05; functioning, p < .01) for those that experienced sexual abuse. Primary caretaker was also a moderator with greater trauma reductions in those who identified their mother as the primary caretaker (p < .01), and better functioning in those that identified their father as the primary caretaker (p < .05). Nonorphans and single orphans (mother alive) showed greater reduction in functional impairment (p < .01) compared with double orphans. There was no significant moderator effect found by gender, age, number of trauma types, school status, or caregiver participation in treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that TF-CBT was effective in reducing trauma symptoms and functional impairment among trauma-affected youth overall and that it may be particularly effective for survivors of child sexual abuse and children whose primary caretaker is a biological parent. Scale-up of TF-CBT is warranted given the wide range of effectiveness and prevalence of child sexual abuse. Future randomized trials of interventions in LMIC should power for moderation analyses in the study design phase when feasible.

Effectiveness of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Among Trauma-Affected Children in Lusaka, Zambia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

IMPORTANCE: Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) are at high risk for experiencing trauma and related psychosocial problems. Despite this, no randomized clinical trials have studied evidence-based treatments for OVC in low-resource settings. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of lay counselor-provided trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) to address trauma and stress-related symptoms among OVC in Lusaka, Zambia. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This randomized clinical trial compared TF-CBT and treatment as usual (TAU) (varying by site) for children recruited from August 1, 2012, through July 31, 2013, and treated until December 31, 2013, for trauma-related symptoms from 5 community sites within Lusaka, Zambia. Children were aged 5 through 18 years and had experienced at least one traumatic event and reported significant trauma-related symptoms. Analysis was with intent to treat. INTERVENTIONS: The intervention group received 10 to 16 sessions of TF-CBT (n = 131). The TAU group (n = 126) received usual community services offered to OVC. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was mean item change in trauma and stress-related symptoms using a locally validated version of the UCLA Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (range, 0-4) and functional impairment using a locally developed measure (range, 0-4). Outcomes were measured at baseline and within 1 month after treatment completion or after a waiting period of approximately 4.5 months after baseline for TAU. RESULTS: At follow-up, the mean item change in trauma symptom score was -1.54 (95% CI, -1.81 to -1.27), a reduction of 81.9%, for the TF-CBT group and -0.37 (95% CI, -0.57 to -0.17), a reduction of 21.1%, for the TAU group. The mean item change for functioning was -0.76 (95% CI, -0.98 to -0.54), a reduction of 89.4%, and -0.54 (95% CI, -0.80 to -0.29), a reduction of 68.3%, for the TF-CBT and TAU groups, respectively. The difference in change between groups was statistically significant for both outcomes (P < .001). The effect size (Cohen d) was 2.39 for trauma symptoms and 0.34 for functioning. Lay counselors participated in supervision and assessed whether the intervention was provided with fidelity in all 5 community settings. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The TF-CBT adapted for Zambia substantially decreased trauma and stress-related symptoms and produced a smaller improvement in functional impairment among OVC having experienced high levels of trauma. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01624298.

Testing the validity and reliability of the shame questionnaire among sexually abused girls in Zambia.

PURPOSE: The aim of the current study is to test the validity and reliability of the Shame Questionnaire among traumatized girls in Lusaka, Zambia. METHODS: The Shame Questionnaire was validated through both classical test and item response theory methods. Internal reliability, criterion validity and construct validity were examined among a sample of 325 female children living in Zambia. Sub-analyses were conducted to examine differences in construct validity among girls who reported sexual abuse and girls who did not. RESULTS: All girls in the sample were sexually abused, but only 61.5% endorsed or reported that sexual abuse had occurred. Internal consistency was very good among the sample with alpha = .87. Criterion validity was demonstrated through a significant difference of mean Shame Questionnaire scores between girls who experienced 0-1 trauma events and more than one traumatic event, with higher mean Shame Questionnaire scores among girls who had more than one traumatic event (p = .004 for 0-1 compared to 2 and 3 events and p = .016 for 0-1 compared to 4+ events). Girls who reported a history of witnessing or experiencing physical abuse had a significantly higher mean Shame Questionnaire score than girls who did not report a history of witnessing or experiencing physical abuse (p<.0001). There was no significant difference in mean Shame Questionnaire score between girls who reported a sexual abuse history and girls who did not. Exploratory factor analysis indicated a two-factor model of the Shame Questionnaire, with an experience of shame dimension and an active outcomes of shame dimension. Item response theory analysis indicated adequate overall item fit. Results also indicate potential differences in construct validity between girls who did and did not endorse sexual abuse. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests the general utility of the Shame Questionnaire among Zambian girls and demonstrates the need for more psychometric studies in low and middle income countries.

Counselor and client perspectives of Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for children in Zambia: a qualitative study.

This study examined Zambian counselors, children, and caregivers' perceptions of an evidence-based treatment (EBT) for trauma (Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy [TF-CBT]) utilized in Zambia to address mental health problems in children. Semistructured interviews were conducted with local counselors trained in TF-CBT (N = 19; 90% of those trained; 12 female) and children/caregivers who had received TF-CBT in a small feasibility study (N = 18; 86% of the children and N = 16; 76% of the caregivers) who completed TF-CBT (total completed; N = 21). Each client was asked six open-ended questions, and domain analysis was used to explore the data. Counselors were positive about the program, liked the structure and flexibility, reported positive changes in their clients, and discussed the cultural adaptation around activities and language. Counselors stated the training was too short, and the supervision was necessary. Challenges included client engagement and attendance, availability of location, funding, and a lack of community understanding of "therapy." Children and caregivers stated multiple positive changes they attributed to TF-CBT, such as better family communication, reduction of problem behaviors, and ability to speak about the trauma. They recommended continuing the program. This study brings a critical examination of providers' and clients' perspectives of the implementation of an EBT for children in a low-resource setting. Clinical implications include changing implementation methods based on responses. Research implications include future study directions such as an effectiveness trial of TF-CBT and an examination of implementation factors.

Implementing Evidence-Based Mental Health Care in Low-Resource Settings: A Focus on Safety Planning Procedures.

Despite advances in global mental health evidence and policy recommendations, the uptake of evidence-based practices (EBP) in low- and middle-income countries has been slow. Lower resource settings have several challenges, such as limited trained personnel, lack of government resources set aside for mental health, poorly developed mental health systems, and inadequate child protection services. Given these inherent challenges, a possible barrier to implementation of EBP is how to handle safety risks such as suicide, intimate partner violence (IPV), and/or abuse. Safety issues are prevalent in populations with mental health problems and often over-looked and/or underreported. This article briefly reviews common safety issues such as suicide, IPV, and child abuse and proposes the use of certain implementation strategies which could be helpful in creating locally appropriate safety protocols. This article lays out steps and examples of how to create a safety protocol and describes and presents data on safety cases from three different studies. Discussion includes specific challenges and future directions, focusing on implementation.

Identification, modification, and implementation of an evidence-based psychotherapy for children in a low-income country: the use of TF-CBT in Zambia.

BACKGROUND: The need to address the treatment gap in mental health services in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) is well recognized and particularly neglected among children and adolescents. Recent literature with adult populations suggests that evidence-based mental health treatments are effective, feasible, and cross-culturally modifiable for use in LMIC. This paper addresses a gap in the literature documenting pre-trial processes. We describe the process of selecting an intervention to meet the needs of a particular population and the process of cross-cultural adaptation. METHODS: Community-based participatory research principles were implemented for intervention selection, including joint meetings with stakeholders, review of qualitative research, and review of the literature. Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) was chosen as the evidence-based practice for modification and feasibility testing. The TF-CBT adaptation process, rooted within an apprenticeship model of training and supervision, is presented. Clinical case notes were reviewed to document modifications. RESULTS: Choosing an intervention can work as a collaborative process with community involvement. Results also show that modifications were focused primarily on implementation techniques rather than changes in TF-CBT core elements. CONCLUSIONS: Studies documenting implementation processes are critical to understanding why intervention choices are made and how the adaptations are generated in global mental health. More articles are needed on how to implement evidence-based treatments in LMIC.

An evaluation of trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy for children in Zambia.

To monitor and evaluate the feasibility of implementing Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) to address trauma and stress-related symptoms in orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Zambia as part of ongoing programming within a non-governmental organization (NGO). As part of ongoing programming, voluntary care-workers administered locally validated assessments to identify children who met criteria for moderate to severe trauma symptomatology. Local lay counselors implemented TF-CBT with identified families, while participating in ongoing supervision. Fifty-eight children and adolescents aged 5-18 completed the TF-CBT treatment, with pre- and post-assessments. The mean number of traumas reported by the treatment completers (N=58) was 4.11. Post assessments showed significant reductions in severity of trauma symptoms (p<0.0001), and severity of shame symptoms (p<0.0001). Our results suggest that TF-CBT is a feasible treatment option in Zambia for OVC. A decrease in symptoms suggests that a controlled trial is warranted. Implementation factors monitored suggest that it is feasible to integrate and evaluate evidence-based mental health assessments and intervention into programmatic services run by an NGO in low/middle resource countries. Results also support the effectiveness of implementation strategies such as task shifting, and the Apprenticeship Model of training and supervision.

Sex differences in neuropsychological performance as an effect of human immunodeficiency virus infection: a pilot study in Zambia, Africa.

This study examined whether there are neuropsychological performance differences between human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive participants being followed at a University of Zambia clinic and demographically comparable seronegative controls being tested for infection in the same setting. All participants were administered a standardized neurocognitive test battery that has been found sensitive to HIV-associated Neurocognitive Disorder in the United States and internationally (e.g., in China, India, Romania, and Cameroon). The test battery was found to be applicable to a Zambian population. A clear HIV effect was seen with a medium to large overall effect size (Cohen d = 0.74). However, it was only the female seropositive participants who showed this HIV effect. HIV can result in neuropsychological deficits in Zambia, where clade C of the virus dominates. It is suggested that the HIV-infected women are more at risk of developing cognitive deficits than are men in this population, possibly because of sex-related social, financial, and healthcare disadvantages. However, further analyses are required regarding this conclusion because the finding was a result of an unplanned subanalysis.

Validation of the UCLA Child Post traumatic stress disorder-reaction index in Zambia.

BACKGROUND: Sexual violence against children is a major global health and human rights problem. In order to address this issue there needs to be a better understanding of the issue and the consequences. One major challenge in accomplishing this goal has been a lack of validated child mental health assessments in low-resource countries where the prevalence of sexual violence is high. This paper presents results from a validation study of a trauma-focused mental health assessment tool - the UCLA Post-traumatic Stress Disorder - Reaction Index (PTSD-RI) in Zambia. METHODS: The PTSD-RI was adapted through the addition of locally relevant items and validated using local responses to three cross-cultural criterion validity questions. Reliability of the symptoms scale was assessed using Cronbach alpha analyses. Discriminant validity was assessed comparing mean scale scores of cases and non-cases. Concurrent validity was assessed comparing mean scale scores to a traumatic experience index. Sensitivity and specificity analyses were run using receiver operating curves. RESULTS: Analysis of data from 352 youth attending a clinic specializing in sexual abuse showed that this adapted PTSD-RI demonstrated good reliability, with Cronbach alpha scores greater than .90 on all the evaluated scales. The symptom scales were able to statistically significantly discriminate between locally identified cases and non-cases, and higher symptom scale scores were associated with increased numbers of trauma exposures which is an indication of concurrent validity. Sensitivity and specificity analyses resulted in an adequate area under the curve, indicating that this tool was appropriate for case definition. CONCLUSIONS: This study has shown that validating mental health assessment tools in a low-resource country is feasible, and that by taking the time to adapt a measure to the local context, a useful and valid Zambian version of the PTSD-RI was developed to detect traumatic stress among youth. This valid tool can now be used to appropriately measure treatment effectiveness, and more effectively and efficiently triage youth to appropriate services.

Human resource challenges facing Zambia's mental health care system and possible solutions: results from a combined quantitative and qualitative study.

Human resources for mental health care in low- and middle-income countries are inadequate to meet the growing public health burden of neuropsychiatric disorders. Information on actual numbers is scarce, however. The aim of this study was to analyse the key human resource constraints and challenges facing Zambia's mental health care system, and the possible solutions. This study used both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The WHO-AIMS Version 2.2 was utilized to ascertain actual figures on human resource availability. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were conducted to assess key stakeholders' perceptions regarding the human resource constraints and challenges. The results revealed an extreme scarcity of human resources dedicated to mental health in Zambia. Respondents highlighted many human resource constraints, including shortages, lack of post-graduate and in-service training, and staff mismanagement. A number of reasons for and consequences of these problems were highlighted. Dedicating more resources to mental health, increasing the output of qualified mental health care professionals, stepping up in-service training, and increasing political will from government were amongst the key solutions highlighted by the respondents. There is an urgent need to scale up human and financial resources for mental health in Zambia.