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The acceptability and feasibility of task-sharing for mental healthcare in low and middle income countries: A systematic review

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  • Padmanathan, Prianka
  • De Silva, Mary J.

Abstract

Task-sharing has frequently been proposed as a strategy to overcome human resource shortages in order to scale up mental health care. Although evidence suggests this approach is effective, to date no review has been conducted to assess its acceptability and feasibility among service users and health care practitioners. This review summarises current findings and provides evidence-based recommendations to improve the success and sustainability of task-sharing approaches. All study designs were included and both qualitative and quantitative data were extracted and reviewed using a comparative thematic analysis. In total, 21 studies were included, nine of which were of strong or adequate quality and twelve of unknown quality. The review highlighted that task-sharing is not an outright solution for overcoming human resource shortages in low and middle income countries. A number of factors need to be considered in order for task-sharing to be acceptable and feasible, for example the incidence of distress experienced by the task-sharing workforce, their self-perceived level of competence, the acceptance of the workforce by other health care professionals and the incentives provided to ensure workforce retention. As the main barrier to addressing these is a lack of resources, an increased investment in mental health care is essential in order to ensure that task-sharing interventions are successful and sustainable.

Suggested Citation

  • Padmanathan, Prianka & De Silva, Mary J., 2013. "The acceptability and feasibility of task-sharing for mental healthcare in low and middle income countries: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 82-86.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:97:y:2013:i:c:p:82-86
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.08.004
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    Cited by:

    1. Eddy Eustache & Margaret E Gerbasi & Jennifer Severe & J Reginald Fils-Aimé & Mary C Smith Fawzi & Giuseppe J Raviola & Sarah Darghouth & Kate Boyd & Tatiana Thérosmé & Rupinder Legha & Ermaze L Pi, 2017. "Formative research on a teacher accompaniment model to promote youth mental health in Haiti: Relevance to mental health task-sharing in low-resource school settings," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 63(4), pages 314-324, June.
    2. Shital S. Muke & Deepak Tugnawat & Udita Joshi & Aditya Anand & Azaz Khan & Ritu Shrivastava & Abhishek Singh & Juliana L. Restivo & Anant Bhan & Vikram Patel & John A. Naslund, 2020. "Digital Training for Non-Specialist Health Workers to Deliver a Brief Psychological Treatment for Depression in Primary Care in India: Findings from a Randomized Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-22, September.
    3. Kidia, K. & Machando, D. & Dzoro, V. & Chibanda, D. & Abas, M. & Manda, E. & Mutengerere, A. & Nyandoro, T. & Chawarika, M. & Majichi, D. & van Dijk, J.H. & Jack, H., 2024. "Rural Friendship Bench: A qualitative study in Zaka district, Zimbabwe," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 348(C).
    4. Medhin Selamu & Laura Asher & Charlotte Hanlon & Girmay Medhin & Maji Hailemariam & Vikram Patel & Graham Thornicroft & Abebaw Fekadu, 2015. "Beyond the Biomedical: Community Resources for Mental Health Care in Rural Ethiopia," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(5), pages 1-14, May.
    5. Trang Nguyen & Tuan Tran & Sally Green & Arthur Hsueh & Thach Tran & Ha Tran & Jane Fisher, 2020. "Proof of concept of participant informed, psycho-educational, community-based intervention for people with severe mental illness in rural Vietnam," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 66(3), pages 232-239, May.
    6. Laura Asher & Abebaw Fekadu & Charlotte Hanlon & Gemechu Mideksa & Julian Eaton & Vikram Patel & Mary J De Silva, 2015. "Development of a Community-Based Rehabilitation Intervention for People with Schizophrenia in Ethiopia," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(11), pages 1-19, November.
    7. Mendenhall, Emily & De Silva, Mary J. & Hanlon, Charlotte & Petersen, Inge & Shidhaye, Rahul & Jordans, Mark & Luitel, Nagendra & Ssebunnya, Joshua & Fekadu, Abebaw & Patel, Vikram & Tomlinson, Mark &, 2014. "Acceptability and feasibility of using non-specialist health workers to deliver mental health care: Stakeholder perceptions from the PRIME district sites in Ethiopia, India, Nepal, South Africa, and U," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 33-42.
    8. Woollett, Nataly & Brahmbhatt, Heena & Dodd, Kate & Booth, Michelle & Berman, Hayley & Cluver, Lucie, 2017. "Revealing the impact of loss: Exploring mental health through the use of drawing/writing with HIV positive adolescents in Johannesburg," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 197-207.

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