Hart Claire, Norris Shane A
SA MRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
School of Human Development and Health, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Glob Health Action. 2024 Dec 31;17(1):2437883. doi: 10.1080/16549716.2024.2437883. Epub 2025 Jan 17.
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.
在撒哈拉以南非洲地区解决青少年心理健康护理问题面临诸多挑战，包括公共卫生系统资金不足、心理健康专业人员短缺、就医障碍以及普遍存在的污名化现象。未经治疗的青少年往往症状恶化，出现学业和社交困难、身体健康风险，并从事危险行为。对常见心理健康状况进行早期检测和适当治疗有助于青少年建立强大的社会和情感基础，增进他们的心理健康。确保青少年获得健康发展所需的心理健康护理取决于协作性的、基于证据的解决方案，这些方案要考虑到撒哈拉以南非洲地区的具体情况挑战。创新的基于社区的心理健康服务解决方案可能会显著提高可及性，并为青少年在离家和学校较近的地方提供支持。例如，在专业监督下共同创造并由同伴提供的干预措施可能会提高接受度并减少污名化。这篇短文加入了当前的辩论，主张与社区合作并为常见心理健康状况实施社区心理健康服务。对社区特定挑战保持敏感并建立转诊网络对于有效护理至关重要。除了提高心理健康素养外，投资于这些策略可能会带来负担得起且意义重大的干预措施，以解决青少年心理健康问题。
