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This page is an AI-assisted Turkish summary of the study presented at the 26th World Congress of Psychiatry. The study belongs to the presenting authors; please refer to the original source when citing it.

SO357

Practitioner perspectives on mental health care innovations to reduce the treatment gap in sub-Saharan Africa

PRACTITIONER INSIGHTS INTO MENTAL HEALTH CARE INNOVATIONS FOR REDUCING THE TREATMENT GAP IN SUB SAHARAN AFRICA

Mental health professionals in sub-Saharan Africa view telemedicine and community-based initiatives as promising, but identify inadequate infrastructure, training, and funding, along with stigma, as major barriers.

The study aimed to assess practitioner perspectives on the effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability of mental health care innovations in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), including their perceived benefits and barriers to use. A cross-sectional mixed-methods survey was conducted with 115 mental health professionals from various SSA countries, recruited through the Africa Global Mental Health Institute (AGMHI) and affiliated networks; quantitative data were examined using descriptive statistics, and open-ended responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants had a mean age of 38.67 years (standard deviation 7.8; range 24–68); 61.7% were women (n = 71) and 38.3% were men (n = 44). The professional breakdown was 39 psychiatrists (33.9%), 40 psychologists (34.8%), and 36 other professionals (31.3%); 78.3% worked in urban areas. The country distribution was Ethiopia, 29 (25.2%); Kenya, 26 (22.6%); Nigeria, 22 (19.1%); Uganda, 14 (12.2%); South Africa, 8 (7.0%); and other countries, 16 (13.9%). Sixty-two percent of participants reported that telemedicine and digital platforms were available in their countries; while these services improved after-hours access and patient convenience, poor internet connectivity, limited digital literacy and training, and concerns about privacy and clinical effectiveness emerged as barriers. Among community-based initiatives, support groups (46.1%) and peer counseling (36.5%) were considered the most needed; although viewed as culturally sensitive and scalable, these initiatives were constrained by inadequate funding, stigma, workforce shortages, poor coordination, and a lack of political will. Awareness and implementation of existing mental health policies varied across countries, and funding was widely perceived as insufficient to meet needs; the authors recommended investment in digital infrastructure and training, greater support for community-based programs, and stronger policy implementation to close the treatment gap.

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