Adolescent mental health in sub-Saharan Africa: Crisis? What crisis? Solution? What solution?
Adolescent mental health in sub-Saharan Africa: Crisis? What crisis? Solution? What solution?
Addressing adolescent mental health care across sub-Saharan Africa faces numerous challenges, including underfunded public health systems, a shortage of mental health professionals, barriers to access, and pervasive stigma. Untreated adolescents often experience worsening symptoms, academic and social difficulties, physical health risks, and engage in risky behaviours. Early detection and appropriate treatment of common mental health conditions can support adolescents in developing robust social and emotional foundations and enhancing their mental well-being. Ensuring adolescents receive the mental health care required for healthy development depends on collaborative, evidence-based solutions that consider the contextual challenges of sub-Saharan Africa. Innovative community-based solutions to mental health services may significantly improve accessibility and support adolescents close to their homes and schools. For example, co-creation and peer-delivered interventions with professional supervision may enhance uptake and reduce stigma. This short article adds to the current debate arguing for working with communities and implementing community mental health services for common mental health conditions. Sensitivity to community-specific challenges and building referral networks are crucial for effective care. Investing in these strategies, alongside increasing mental health literacy, could lead to affordable and significant interventions to address adolescent mental health.
Paper context
Main findings: Addressing adolescent mental health in sub-Saharan Africa requires collaborative, evidence-based solutions that consider local challenges.
Added knowledge: To improve adolescent mental health care in sub-Saharan Africa, it is crucial to collaborate with communities, develop community-specific solutions, and establish referral networks.
Global health impact for policy and action: Investing in adolescent mental health care and enhancing mental health literacy can lead to significant, cost-effective interventions that support healthy development.
Adolescent mental health, Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC), access to care, community-based services, stigma, sub-saharan africa, sub-Saharan Africa, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
Hart, Claire
87bb652f-3258-4f14-bcda-54876988a9c1
Norris, Shane A.
1d346f1b-6d5f-4bca-ac87-7589851b75a4
17 January 2025
Hart, Claire
87bb652f-3258-4f14-bcda-54876988a9c1
Norris, Shane A.
1d346f1b-6d5f-4bca-ac87-7589851b75a4
Hart, Claire and Norris, Shane A.
(2025)
Adolescent mental health in sub-Saharan Africa: Crisis? What crisis? Solution? What solution?
Global Health Action, 17 (1), [2437883].
(doi:10.1080/16549716.2024.2437883).
Abstract
Addressing adolescent mental health care across sub-Saharan Africa faces numerous challenges, including underfunded public health systems, a shortage of mental health professionals, barriers to access, and pervasive stigma. Untreated adolescents often experience worsening symptoms, academic and social difficulties, physical health risks, and engage in risky behaviours. Early detection and appropriate treatment of common mental health conditions can support adolescents in developing robust social and emotional foundations and enhancing their mental well-being. Ensuring adolescents receive the mental health care required for healthy development depends on collaborative, evidence-based solutions that consider the contextual challenges of sub-Saharan Africa. Innovative community-based solutions to mental health services may significantly improve accessibility and support adolescents close to their homes and schools. For example, co-creation and peer-delivered interventions with professional supervision may enhance uptake and reduce stigma. This short article adds to the current debate arguing for working with communities and implementing community mental health services for common mental health conditions. Sensitivity to community-specific challenges and building referral networks are crucial for effective care. Investing in these strategies, alongside increasing mental health literacy, could lead to affordable and significant interventions to address adolescent mental health.
Paper context
Main findings: Addressing adolescent mental health in sub-Saharan Africa requires collaborative, evidence-based solutions that consider local challenges.
Added knowledge: To improve adolescent mental health care in sub-Saharan Africa, it is crucial to collaborate with communities, develop community-specific solutions, and establish referral networks.
Global health impact for policy and action: Investing in adolescent mental health care and enhancing mental health literacy can lead to significant, cost-effective interventions that support healthy development.
Text
Adolescent mental health in sub-Saharan Africa crisis What crisis Solution What solution (1)
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More information
Submitted date: 6 August 2024
Accepted/In Press date: 30 November 2024
Published date: 17 January 2025
Keywords:
Adolescent mental health, Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC), access to care, community-based services, stigma, sub-saharan africa, sub-Saharan Africa, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 503396
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/503396
ISSN: 1654-9716
PURE UUID: 4529d22b-a50f-4963-b235-047b5d126e52
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Date deposited: 30 Jul 2025 16:51
Last modified: 18 Sep 2025 01:59
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Author:
Claire Hart
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