Digital mental health interventions for adolescents and young people (10-24 years) in Africa: A protocol for a systematic review of mental health outcomes, engagement, and equity considerations.

BACKGROUND

Adolescents and young people (AYP) aged 10-24 years in Africa experience a high burden of mental health disorders but face significant barriers to accessing care, including a severe shortage of mental health professionals, stigma, and limited integration of mental health services into primary healthcare. Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) offer a promising avenue to bridge these gaps by providing accessible, scalable, and potentially equitable support. However, little is known about the effectiveness, acceptability, and equity impacts of these interventions among African AYP.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aims to identify, characterize, and synthesize evidence on DMHIs targeting adolescents and young people in Africa, focusing on mental health outcomes, engagement, feasibility, and equity considerations.

METHODS

We will search PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost databases, as well as the PsyberGuide repository, for empirical studies published between January 1, 2015, and April 3, 2025. Eligible studies must evaluate a digital mental health intervention among AYP aged 10-24 years living in Africa. Study designs will include randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, observational studies, and mixed-methods studies. Outcomes of interest include mental health symptom reduction (depression, anxiety, stress), psychological well-being, engagement, feasibility, acceptability, and equity-related factors such as gender inclusivity and digital access. Risk of bias will be assessed using RoB 2 and ROBINS-I tools, and evidence quality will be rated using the GRADE approach. Quantitative synthesis will be conducted where feasible, otherwise narrative synthesis will be employed.

CONCLUSION

This review will provide a comprehensive synthesis of available evidence on DMHIs for adolescents and young people in Africa, offering critical insights into their effectiveness, feasibility, and contribution to promoting mental health equity. The findings aim to inform the development, implementation, and policy integration of digital mental health strategies tailored to young populations in diverse African contexts.