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Mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings: a public mental health perspective

Part of: Special Articles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 September 2015

W. A. Tol ,
M. Purgato ,
J. K. Bass ,
A. Galappatti  and
W. Eaton
W. A. Tol*
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA Peter C. Alderman Foundation, Bedford, NY, USA and Kampala, Uganda
M. Purgato
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
J. K. Bass
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
A. Galappatti
Affiliation:
Good Practice Group, Colombo, Sri Lanka and Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
W. Eaton
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
*
*Address for correspondence: W. A. Tol, Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA and Peter C. Alderman Foundation, Bedford, NY, USA and Kampala, Uganda. (Email: wtol@jhu.edu)
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Abstract

Aims.

To discuss the potential usefulness of a public health approach for ‘mental health and psychosocial support’ (MHPSS) interventions in humanitarian settings.

Methods.

Building on public mental health terminology in accordance with recent literature on this topic and considering existing international consensus guidelines on MHPSS interventions in humanitarian settings, this paper reflects on the relevance of the language of promotion and prevention for supporting the rationale, design and evaluation of interventions, with a particular focus on populations affected by disasters and conflicts in low- and middle-income countries.

Results.

A public mental health approach and associated terminology can form a useful framework in the design and evaluation of MHPSS interventions, and may contribute to reducing a divisive split between ‘mental health’ and ‘psychosocial’ practice in the humanitarian field. Many of the most commonly implemented MHPSS interventions in humanitarian settings can be described in terms of promotion and prevention terminology.

Conclusions.

The use of a common terminology across health, protection, education, nutrition and other relevant sectors providing humanitarian interventions has the potential to allow for integration of MHPSS activities in one overall framework, with diverse humanitarian practitioners working to achieve a common goal.

Keywords

Humanitarian settingslow- and middle-income countriesmental health psychosocial supportpublic health
Type
Special Article
Information
Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences , Volume 24 , Issue 6 , December 2015 , pp. 484 - 494
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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