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BackgroundThe lack of availability of evidence-based services for people exposed to adversity globally has led to the development of psychological interventions with features that will likely make them more scalable. The evidence for the efficacy of e-mental health from high-income countries is compelling, and the use of these interventions could be a way to increase the coverage of evidence-based psychological interventions in low- and middle-income countries. Step-by-Step is a brief (5-session) intervention proposed by the World Health Organization as an innovative approach to reducing the suffering and disability associated with depression. ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a locally adapted version of Step-by-Step with Syrian nationals (trial 1) and Lebanese nationals and other populations residing in Lebanon (trial 2). MethodsThis Step-by-Step trial involves 2 parallel, two-armed, randomized controlled trials comparing the e-intervention Step-by-Step to enhanced care as usual in participants with depressive symptoms and impaired functioning. The randomized controlled trials are designed and powered to detect effectiveness in 2 populations: Syrians in Lebanon (n=568) and other people residing in Lebanon (n=568; Lebanese nationals and other populations resident in Lebanon). The primary outcomes are depressive symptomatology (measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and functioning (measured with the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Scale 2.0). Secondary outcomes include anxiety symptoms, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, personalized measures of psychosocial problems, subjective well-being, and economic effectiveness. Participants are mainly recruited through online advertising. Additional outreach methods will be used if required, for example through dissemination of information through partner agencies and organizations. They can access the intervention on a computer, tablet, and mobile phone through a hybrid app. Step-by-Step has 5 sessions, and users are guided by trained nonspecialist “e-helpers” providing phone-based or message-based support for around 15 minutes a week. ResultsThe trials were funded in 2018. The study protocol was last verified June 20, 2019 (WHO ERC.0002797) and registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03720769). The trials started recruitment as of December 9, 2019, and all data collection was completed in December 2020. ConclusionsThe Step-by-Step trials will provide evidence about the effectiveness of an e-mental health intervention in Lebanon. If the intervention proves to be effective, this will inform future scale-up of this and similar interventions in Lebanon and in other settings across the world. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03720769; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03720769 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/21585

Author(s): Pim Cuijpers, Eva Heim, Jinane Abi Ramia, Sebastian Burchert, Kenneth Carswell, Ilja Cornelisz, Christine Knaevelsrud, Philip Noun, Chris van Klaveren, Edith van't Hof, Edwina Zoghbi, Mark van Ommeren, Rabih [...]

Background: There is evidence from meta-analyses and systematic reviews that digital mental health interventions for depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders tend to be cost-effective. However, no such evidence exists for guided digital mental health care in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) facing humanitarian crises, where the needs are highest. Step-by-Step (SbS), a digital mental health intervention for depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders, proved to be effective for Lebanese citizens and war-affected Syrians residing in Lebanon. Assessing the cost-effectiveness of SbS is crucial because Lebanon's overstretched health care system must prioritize cost-effective treatment options in the face of continuing humanitarian and economic crises. Objective: This study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of SbS in a randomized comparison with enhanced usual care (EUC). Methods: The cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted alongside a pragmatic randomized controlled trial in 2 parallel groups comparing SbS (n=614) with EUC (n=635). The primary outcome was cost (in US $ for the reference year 2019) per treatment response of depressive symptoms, defined as >50% reduction of depressive symptoms measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). The secondary outcome was cost per remission of depressive symptoms, defined as a PHQ score <5 at last follow-up (5 months post baseline). The evaluation was conducted first from the health care perspective then from the societal perspective. Results: Taking the health care perspective, SbS had an 80% probability to be regarded as cost-effective compared with EUC when there is a willingness to pay US $220 per additional treatment response or US $840 per additional remission. Taking the wider societal perspective, SbS had a >75% probability to be cost-saving while gaining response or remission. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this study is the first cost-effectiveness analysis based on a large randomized controlled trial (n=1249) of a guided digital mental health intervention in an LMIC. From the principal findings, 2 implications flowed, from the (1) health care perspective and (2) wider societal perspective. First, our findings suggest that SbS is associated with greater health benefits, albeit for higher costs than EUC. It is up to decision makers in health care to decide if they find the balance between additional health gains and additional health care costs acceptable. Second, as seen from the wider societal perspective, there is a substantial likelihood that SbS is not costing more than EUC but is associated with cost-savings as SBS participants become more productive, thus offsetting their health care costs. This finding may suggest to policy makers that it is in the interest of both population health and the wider Lebanese economy to implement SbS on a wide scale. In brief, SbS may offer a scalable, potentially cost-saving response to humanitarian emergencies in an LMIC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a framework for comprehensive, collaborative, and community-based care (C4) for accessible mental health services in low-resource settings. Because mental health conditions have many causes, this framework includes social, public health, wellness and clinical services. It accommodates integration of stand-alone mental health programs with health and non-health community-based services. It addresses gaps in previous models including lack of community-based psychotherapeutic and social services, difficulty in addressing comorbidity of mental and physical conditions, and how workers interact with respect to referral and coordination of care. The framework is based on task-shifting of services to non-specialized workers. While the framework draws on the World Health Organization’s Mental Health Gap Action Program and other global mental health models, there are important differences. The C4 Framework delineates types of workers based on their skills. Separate workers focus on: basic psychoeducation and information sharing; community-level, evidence-based psychotherapeutic counseling; and primary medical care and more advanced, specialized mental health services for more severe or complex cases. This paper is intended for individuals, organizations and governments interested in implementing mental health services. The primary aim is to provide a framework for the provision of widely accessible mental health care and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most displaced people with mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries do not receive effective care, and their access to care has deteriorated during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Digital mental health interventions are scalable when digital access is adequate, and they can be safely delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined whether a new WHO-guided digital mental health intervention, Step-by-Step, in which participants were supported by a nonspecialist helper, was effective in reducing depression among displaced people in Lebanon.Methods and Findings: We conducted a single-blind, 2-arm pragmatic randomized clinical trial, comparing guided Step-by-Step with enhanced care as usual (ECAU) among displaced Syrians suffering from depression and impaired functioning in Lebanon. Primary outcomes were depression (Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9) and impaired functioning (WHO Disability Assessment Schedule-12, WHODAS) at posttreatment. Secondary outcomes included subjective well-being, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and self-described problems. A total of 569 displaced people from Syria with depression (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) and impaired functioning (WHODAS > 16) were randomized to Step-by-Step (N = 283; lost to follow-up: N = 167) or ECAU (N = 286; lost to follow-up: 133). Participants were considered to be lost to follow-up when they did not fill in the outcome measures at posttest or follow-up. Recruitment started on December 9, 2019 and was completed on July 9, 2020. The last follow-up assessments were collected in December 2020. The study team had access to the online platform, where they could see treatment arm assignment for each participant. All questionnaires were completed by participants online. Intention-to-treat (ITT) analyses showed intervention effects on depression (standardized mean differences [SMDs]: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.26; 0.70; p < 0.001), impaired functioning (SMD: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.14; 0.56; p < 0.001), post-traumatic stress (SMD: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.16; 0.56; p < 0.001), anxiety (SMD: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.24; 0.68; p < 0.001), subjective well-being (SMD: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.26; 0.68; p < 0.001), and self-identified personal problems (SMD: 0.49; 95% CI 0.28; 0.70; p < 0.001). Significant effects on all outcomes were maintained at 3 months follow-up. During the trial, one serious adverse event occurred, unrelated to the intervention. The main limitation of the current trial is the high dropout rate.Conclusions: In this study, we found that a guided, digital intervention was effective in reducing depression in displaced people in Lebanon. The guided WHO Step-by-Step intervention we examined should be made available to communities of displaced people that have digital access.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03720769. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stigma among healthcare providers is a barrier to the effective delivery of mental health services in primary care. Few studies have been conducted in primary care settings comparing the attitudes of healthcare providers and experiences of people with mental illness who are service users in those facilities. Such research is necessary across diverse global settings to characterize stigma and inform effective stigma reduction. Methods: Qualitative research was conducted on mental illness stigma in primary care settings in one low-income country (Nepal), two lower-middle income countries (India, Tunisia), one upper-middle-income country (Lebanon), and three high-income countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy). Qualitative interviews were conducted with 248 participants: 64 primary care providers, 11 primary care facility managers, 111 people with mental illness, and 60 family members of people with mental illness. Data were analyzed using framework analysis. Results: Primary care providers endorsed some willingness to help persons with mental illness but reported not having appropriate training and supervision to deliver mental healthcare. They expressed that people with mental illness are aggressive and unpredictable. Some reported that mental illness is incurable, and mental healthcare is burdensome and leads to burnout. They preferred mental healthcare to be delivered by specialists. Service users did not report high levels of discrimination from primary care providers; however, they had limited expectations of support from primary care providers. Service users reported internalized stigma and discrimination from family and community members. Providers and service users reported unreliable psychiatric medication supply and lack of facilities for confidential consultations. Limitations of the study include conducting qualitative interviews in clinical settings and reliance on clinician-researchers in some sites to conduct interviews, which potentially biases respondents to present attitudes and experiences about primary care services in a positive manner. Conclusions: Primary care providers' willingness to interact with people with mental illness and receive more training presents an opportunity to address stigmatizing beliefs and stereotypes. This study also raises important methodological questions about the most appropriate strategies to accurately understand attitudes and experiences of people with mental illness. Recommendations are provided for future qualitative research about stigma, such as qualitative interviewing by non-clinical personnel, involving non-clinical staff for recruitment of participants, conducting interviews in non-clinical settings, and partnering with people with mental illness to facilitate qualitative data collection and analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: E-mental health is an established mode of delivering treatment for common mental disorders in many high income countries. However, evidence of its effectiveness in lower income countries is lacking. This mixed methods study presents lessons learned and preliminary data on the feasibility of a minimally guided e-mental health intervention in Lebanon. The aim was to pilot test Step-by-Step, a WHO guided e-mental health intervention, and research methods prior to future, controlled testing. Methods: Participants were recruited using social media and advertisements in primary care clinics. Participants completed baseline and post-intervention questionnaires on depression symptoms (primary outcome, PHQ-8), anxiety symptoms, well-being, disability and self-perceived problem severity, and a client satisfaction questionnaire. In addition, seven completers, four drop-outs, 11 study staff, and four clinic managers were interviewed with responses thematically analyzed. Website analytics were used to understand participant behavior when using the website. Results: A total of 129 participants signed up via the Step-by-Step website. Seventy-four participants started session 1 after completing pre-test questionnaires and 26 completed both baseline and post-intervention data. Among those who completed post-assessments, depression symptoms improved (PHQ-8 scores (t=5.62, p < 0.001 two-tailed, df = 25). Wilcoxon signed ranks tests showed a significant difference between baseline and post-Step-by-Step scores on all secondary outcome measures. Client satisfaction data was positive. Interview responses suggested that the intervention could be made more appropriate for younger, single people, more motivating, and easier to use. Those who utilized the support element of the intervention were happy with their relationship with the non-specialist support person (e-helper), though some participants would have preferred specialist support. E-helpers would have liked more training on complex cases. Website analytics showed that many users dropped out before intervention start, and that some re-entered screening data having been excluded from the study. Conclusion: Step-by-Step skills and techniques, model of service integration, and its non-specialist support element are acceptable. Though the sample was small and non-controlled and drop-out was high, results suggest that it may be effective in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms and increasing well-being. Lessons learned will inform content revision, the development of an app version of Step-by-Step, and the research methodology of upcoming effectiveness studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Editorial More governments around the world are recognizing the importance of mental health in their national health, social welfare, development, and education plans. Building on prior TF-CBT studies in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Kenya findings - without Tanzania's results - could lead a policy maker in another African country to presume that the intervention is likely to be beneficial across the region. [Extracted from the article]

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Evidence on substance use in Lebanon shows an increase in usage, limited availability and accessibility to evidence-based services, and high level of stigma and discrimination. In line with the "Mental Health and Substance Use Strategy for Lebanon 2015--2020", the Ministry of Public Health initiated the process of developing a strategy focused on substance use response to address these challenges in collaboration with the Ministries of Education and Higher Education, Interior and Municipalities, Justice and Social Affairs. The result of this process was a strategy launched jointly by the ministries including six domains of action covering the whole spectrum of substance use response with strategic objectives addressing the challenges identified through stakeholders' consultations. The following key principles adopted throughout the process contributed to the successful development of the strategy: building on evidence and international frameworks, maximizing the participation of all stakeholders, prioritising national consensus, maintaining flexibility and maximizing transparency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health has launched a National Mental Health Programme, which in turn has established the Mental Health and Substance Use Strategy for Lebanon 2015-2020. In parallel, research involving refugees has been conducted since the onset of the Syrian crisis. The findings point to an increase in mental health disorders in the Syrian refugee population, which now numbers more than 1 million. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are significant barriers to providing accessible, quality mental health care for young adolescents affected by adversity. In an attempt to overcome this, the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed the Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions (EASE) psychological intervention for young adolescents with internalising problems. EASE is group-based (seven sessions for adolescents, three sessions for their caregivers) and can be delivered by non-specialist providers. This paper outlines the study protocols for two trials of EASE in the Middle East - one in Lebanon and one in Jordan.Methods: We will conduct two, single-blind, two-arm, individually randomised group treatment trials in Lebanon and Jordan, with at least 445 young adolescents per trial. Adolescents will be screened eligible for the trial if they demonstrate levels of psychological distress indicative of internalizing problems requiring treatment. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive the EASE intervention, or enhanced usual care (one home-visit psychoeducation session). The primary outcome is reduction in overall child-reported psychological distress over time, with 3 months post-treatment as the primary end point. Secondary child-reported outcomes include post-traumatic stress symptoms, depression symptoms, daily functioning, and wellbeing. Secondary caregiver-reported outcomes include parenting style, overall child distress, and caregiver psychological distress. Coping strategy use will be explored as a mediator of treatment effects in Lebanon, and relevant moderators of treatment effects will be explored.Discussion: These trials will provide the first assessments of the effectiveness of the EASE intervention for use in the Middle East, with important implications for the use of low-intensity, non-specialist interventions for this age range.Trial Registration: Lebanon: ISRCTN75375136 . Registered on 11 March 2019. Jordan: Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12619000341123. Registered on 5 March 2019 ( https://www.anzctr.org.au/ ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forcibly displaced populations experience an increased burden of mental illness. Scaling up mental health (MH) services places new resource demands on health systems in crises-affected settings and raises questions about how to provide equitable MH services for refugee and host populations. Our study investigates barriers, facilitators, and proposed solutions to MH financing and access for Lebanese populations and Syrian refugees in Lebanon, a protracted crisis setting. We collected qualitative data via 73 interviews and 3 focus group discussions. Participants were purposively selected from: (i) national, United Nations and NGO stakeholders; (ii) frontline MH service providers; (iii) insurance company representatives; (iv) Lebanese and Syrian adults and parents of children aged 12-17 years using MH services. Data were analysed using inductive and deductive approaches. Our results highlight challenges facing Lebanon's system of financing MH care in the face of ongoing multiple crises, including inequitable coverage, dependence on external humanitarian funds, and risks associated with short-term funding and their impact on sustainability of services. The built environment presents additional challenges to individuals trying to navigate, access and use existing MH services, and the social environment and service provider factors enable or hinder individuals accessing MH care. Registered Syrian refugees have better financial coverage to secondary MH care than Lebanese populations. However, given the economic crisis, both populations are facing similar challenges in paying for and accessing MH care at primary health care (PHC) level. Multiple crises in Lebanon have exacerbated challenges in financing MH care, dependence on external humanitarian funds, and risks and sustainability issues associated with short-term funding. Urgent reforms are needed to Lebanon's health financing system, working with government and external donors to equitably and efficiently finance and scale up MH care with a focus on PHC, and to reduce inequities in MH service coverage between Lebanese and Syrian refugee populations., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 El Masri et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: There is evidence from meta-analyses and systematic reviews that digital mental health interventions for depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders tend to be cost-effective. However, no such evidence exists for guided digital mental health care in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) facing humanitarian crises, where the needs are highest. Step-by-Step (SbS), a digital mental health intervention for depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders, proved to be effective for Lebanese citizens and war-affected Syrians residing in Lebanon. Assessing the cost-effectiveness of SbS is crucial because Lebanon's overstretched health care system must prioritize cost-effective treatment options in the face of continuing humanitarian and economic crises., Objective: This study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of SbS in a randomized comparison with enhanced usual care (EUC)., Methods: The cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted alongside a pragmatic randomized controlled trial in 2 parallel groups comparing SbS (n=614) with EUC (n=635). The primary outcome was cost (in US $ for the reference year 2019) per treatment response of depressive symptoms, defined as >50% reduction of depressive symptoms measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). The secondary outcome was cost per remission of depressive symptoms, defined as a PHQ score <5 at last follow-up (5 months post baseline). The evaluation was conducted first from the health care perspective then from the societal perspective., Results: Taking the health care perspective, SbS had an 80% probability to be regarded as cost-effective compared with EUC when there is a willingness to pay US $220 per additional treatment response or US $840 per additional remission. Taking the wider societal perspective, SbS had a >75% probability to be cost-saving while gaining response or remission., Conclusions: To our knowledge, this study is the first cost-effectiveness analysis based on a large randomized controlled trial (n=1249) of a guided digital mental health intervention in an LMIC. From the principal findings, 2 implications flowed, from the (1) health care perspective and (2) wider societal perspective. First, our findings suggest that SbS is associated with greater health benefits, albeit for higher costs than EUC. It is up to decision makers in health care to decide if they find the balance between additional health gains and additional health care costs acceptable. Second, as seen from the wider societal perspective, there is a substantial likelihood that SbS is not costing more than EUC but is associated with cost-savings as SBS participants become more productive, thus offsetting their health care costs. This finding may suggest to policy makers that it is in the interest of both population health and the wider Lebanese economy to implement SbS on a wide scale. In brief, SbS may offer a scalable, potentially cost-saving response to humanitarian emergencies in an LMIC., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03720769; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03720769., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): RR2-10.2196/21585., (©Racha Abi Hana, Jinane Abi Ramia, Sebastian Burchert, Kenneth Carswell, Pim Cuijpers, Eva Heim, Christine Knaevelsrud, Philip Noun, Marit Sijbrandij, Mark van Ommeren, Edith van’t Hof, Ben Wijnen, Edwina Zoghbi, Rabih El Chammay, Filip Smit. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (https://mental.jmir.org), 29.05.2024.)

The humanitarian sector has often been criticised for its hierarchical power dynamics. Such dynamics often centre the priorities of 'international' actors, thereby marginalising the knowledge and expertise of those closest to the setting and play out in various fora, including coordination mechanisms. While guidance emphasises the importance of supporting local systems and government structures rather than creating parallel humanitarian structures, this approach is not consistently applied, creating challenges. We used a case study approach to explore how power relations influence the practice of the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Taskforce in Lebanon, a nationally-led coordination mechanism chaired by the Ministry of Public Health with UN agencies as co-chairs. We conducted 34 semi-structured interviews with Taskforce members and other stakeholders coordinating with the Taskforce, including local non-governmental organisations (NGOs), international NGOs, United Nations agencies and government ministries. Interview transcripts were collaboratively analysed using Dedoose. We conducted feedback workshops with participants and integrated their feedback into analysis. We found that UN agencies and international NGOs are perceived as holding more decision-making power due to their access to funding and credibility-both shaped by the humanitarian system. Our findings also suggest that power dynamics arising mainly from differences in seniority, relations between 'local' and 'expat' staff, and language used in meetings may affect, to varying degrees, decision-making power and members' voices. We also show how the agenda/focus of meetings, meeting format, language, and existing relationships with Taskforce leaders can influence levels of participation and decision-making in Taskforce meetings, ranging from lack of participation through being informed or consulted about decisions to decisions made in partnership. Our findings have broader implications for coordinating service delivery within the humanitarian sector, emphasising the need to reflect upon power imbalances critically and continually and to ensure a shared understanding of decision-making processes., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Lokot et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Introduction: Digital interventions are increasingly regarded as a potential solution for the inaccessibility of mental health treatment across low-and-middle-income settings, especially for common mental disorders. Step-by-Step (SbS) is a digital, guided self-help intervention for depression found effective in two Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) in Lebanon. For research implementation and further scale-up, this paper reports the results of a qualitative evaluation of SbS among the Lebanese and others and displaced Syrians in Lebanon., Methods: Thirty-four Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were executed with participants of the RCTs, SbS staff members, and external stakeholders. Questions garnered feedback about the feasibility, acceptability, enabling factors, and barriers to adhering to the research, implementation, and the SbS intervention. A thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo, and key themes, topics, and recommendations, on research methods and the intervention itself, were generated and reported., Results: Results showed a high level of acceptability of SbS among Lebanese and Syrians and identified sub-groups for whom acceptance or use might be lower, such as older adults and people with limited access to the internet or smartphones. Furthermore, interviews identified the main enabling factors and barriers to adherence related to the research design, content, and delivery approach. Barriers related to feasibility included lengthy assessments as part of the RCTs, and mistrust related to delays in study compensations. Other common challenges were forgetting login credentials, poor internet connection, being busy and competing needs. Enabling factors and best practices included motivating participants to use the intervention through the weekly support provided by helpers, setting an oral contract for commitment, and dividing the compensations into several installments as part of the RCTs. Recommendations regarding sustainability were given., Discussion: The findings show that overall, SbS is feasible, acceptable, and much needed in Lebanon among the Lebanese and Syrians. This assessment identifies reasons for low adherence to the research and the intervention and presents improvement solutions. Recommendations generated in this paper inform the upscale of SbS and the planning, design, and implementation of future digital interventions in research and service provision settings in the mental health field., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Abi Ramia, Abi Hana, Noun, Cuijpers, Carswell, van't Hof, Heim, Zoghbi, Sijbrandij and El Chammay.)

This paper proposes a framework for comprehensive, collaborative, and community-based care (C4) for accessible mental health services in low-resource settings. Because mental health conditions have many causes, this framework includes social, public health, wellness and clinical services. It accommodates integration of stand-alone mental health programs with health and non-health community-based services. It addresses gaps in previous models including lack of community-based psychotherapeutic and social services, difficulty in addressing comorbidity of mental and physical conditions, and how workers interact with respect to referral and coordination of care. The framework is based on task-shifting of services to non-specialized workers. While the framework draws on the World Health Organization's Mental Health Gap Action Program and other global mental health models, there are important differences. The C4 Framework delineates types of workers based on their skills. Separate workers focus on: basic psychoeducation and information sharing; community-level, evidence-based psychotherapeutic counseling; and primary medical care and more advanced, specialized mental health services for more severe or complex cases. This paper is intended for individuals, organizations and governments interested in implementing mental health services. The primary aim is to provide a framework for the provision of widely accessible mental health care and services., Competing Interests: Dr. Dan J Stein has received research grants and/or consultancy honoraria from Discovery Vitality, Johnson & Johnson, Kanna, Lundbeck, Orion, Sanofi, Servier, Takeda and Vistagen. The authors alone are responsible for the views expressed in this article and they do not necessarily represent the views, decisions or policies of the institutions with which they are affiliated., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

Background: Most people with mental disorders in communities exposed to adversity in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) do not receive effective care. Digital mental health interventions are scalable when digital access is adequate, and can be safely delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic., Objective: To examine the effects of a new WHO-guided digital mental health intervention, Step-by-Step, supported by a non-specialist helper in Lebanon, in the context of concurring economic, humanitarian and political crises, a large industrial disaster and the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: We conducted a single-blind, two-arm pragmatic randomised trial, comparing guided Step-by-Step with enhanced care as usual (ECAU) among people suffering from depression and impaired functioning. Primary outcomes were depression (Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9)) and impaired functioning (WHO Disability Assessment Schedule-12 (WHODAS)) at post-treatment., Findings: 680 people with depression (PHQ-9>10) and impaired functioning (WHODAS>16) were randomised to Step-by-Step or ECAU. Intention-to-treat analyses showed effects on depression (standardised mean differences, SMD: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.45 to 0.97), impaired functioning (SMD: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.21 to 0.65), post-traumatic stress (SMD: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.27 to 0.79), anxiety (SMD: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.49 to 0.99), subjective well-being (SMD: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.62) and self-identified personal problems (SMD: 0.56; 95% CI 0.29 to 0.83). Significant effects on all outcomes were retained at 3-month follow-up., Conclusions: Guided digital mental health interventions can be effective in the treatment of depression in communities exposed to adversities in LMICs, although some uncertainty remains because of high attrition., Clinical Implications: Guided digital mental health interventions should be considered for implementation in LMICs., Trial Registration Number: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03720769., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

This paper describes national-level mental health responses to COVID-19 in Lebanon. It then notes factors that have supported the mental health response, including how COVID-19 represents a window of opportunity to help strengthen the mental health system in Lebanon. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Armed conflict leads to increased risk of emotional distress among children and adolescents, and increased exposure to significant daily stressors such as poverty and community and family violence. Unfortunately, these increased risks usually occur in the context of largely unavailable mental health services. There is growing empirical support that evidence-based treatment techniques can be adapted and delivered by non-specialists with high fidelity and effectiveness. However, in order to improve feasibility, applicability, and outcomes, appropriate cultural and contextual adaptation is essential when delivering in different settings and cultures. This paper reports the adaptation process conducted on a new World Health Organization psychological intervention-Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions (EASE)-for use in the north of Lebanon. Lebanon is a middle-income country that hosts the largest number of refugees per capita globally. We conducted: i) a scoping review of literature on mental health in Lebanon, with a focus on Syrian refugees; ii) a rapid qualitative assessment with adolescents, caregivers, community members, and health professionals; iii) cognitive interviews regarding the applicability of EASE materials; iv) a psychologist review to reach optimal and consistent Arabic translation of key terms; v) "mock sessions" of the intervention with field staff and clinical psychology experts; vi) gathering feedback from the Training of Trainers workshop, and subsequent implementation of practice sessions; and vii) gathering feedback from the Training of Facilitators workshop, and subsequent implementation of practice sessions. Several changes were implemented to the materials-some were Lebanon-specific cultural adaptations, while others were incorporated into original materials as they were considered relevant for all contexts of adversity. Overall, our experience with adaptation of the EASE program in Lebanon is promising and indicates the acceptability and feasibility of a brief, non-specialist delivered intervention for adolescents and caregivers. The study informs the wider field of global mental health in terms of opportunities and challenges of adapting and implementing low-intensity psychological interventions in settings of low resources and high adversity., (Copyright © 2020 Brown, Aoun, Taha, Steen, Hansen, Bird, Dawson, Watts, Chammay, Sijbrandij, Malik and Jordans.)