1. Practice-driven evaluation of a multi-layered psychosocial care package for children in areas of armed conflict
- Author
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A. C. Lasuba, Prudence Ntamatumba, Ivan H. Komproe, J. T. V. M. de Jong, Dessy Susanty, Wietse A. Tol, Anavarathan Vallipuram, Mark J. D. Jordans, and VU University medical center
- Subjects
Male ,Mental Health Services ,Practice-driven evaluation ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Health (social science) ,Evidence-based practice ,Adolescent ,Service delivery framework ,Burundi ,Cost-Benefit Analysis ,Child Health Services ,Developing country ,Poison control ,Child Behavior ,Health(social science) ,Sudan ,Nursing ,medicine ,Humans ,Psychiatry ,Child ,Sri Lanka ,Original Paper ,Low- and middle-income countries ,Cost–benefit analysis ,business.industry ,Mental Disorders ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Social Support ,Service provider ,Mental health ,Psychotherapy ,Psychiatry and Mental health ,Indonesia ,Evidence-Based Practice ,Female ,business ,Psychosocial - Abstract
Psychosocial and mental health service delivery frameworks for children in low-income countries are scarce. This paper presents a practice-driven evaluation of a multi-layered community-based care package in Burundi, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Sudan, through a set of indicators; (a) perceived treatment gains; (b) treatment satisfaction; (c) therapist burden; (d) access to care; (e) care package costs. Across four settings (n = 29,292 children), beneficiaries reported high levels of client satisfaction and moderate post-treatment problem reductions. Service providers reported significant levels of distress related to service delivery. Cost analyses demonstrated mean cost per service user to vary from 3.46 to 17.32 depending on country and specification of costs. The results suggest a multi-layered psychosocial care package appears feasible and satisfactory in reaching out to substantial populations of distressed children through different levels of care. Future replication should address therapist burden, cost reductions to increase sustainability and increase evidence for treatment efficacy.
- Published
- 2009