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Mental and neurological health research priorities setting in developing countries

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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

A multi-region consultation process designed to generate locally produced regional and global research priorities on mental and neurological health in low- and middle-income countries.

Methods

Between 2003 and 2005, priority setting exercises on MNH research, using the systematic combined approach matrix (CAM) were held in the six regions of the developing world. One regional meeting per region was convened, and a global meeting was organized before and after the regional exercises.

Results

During regional meetings, regional agendas were created listing both research priorities and local problems in MNH. During global meetings, a global research agenda was established and four crucial areas of research priorities were identified: awareness and advocacy, enhancement of research capacity, training for service delivery, and development of evidence based policy.

Conclusions

The combined matrix approach enabled the development of regional and global MNH research agendas, derived from bottom up consultations within and between low- and middle-income countries. Collaboration between regions with similar priorities was instituted. Such research agendas are designed to assist policy-makers and donors in the allocation of scarce resources, but they require regular review to reflect changing needs.

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Acknowledgments

This project was funded by a research grant for the Global Network for MNH Research.

Conflict of interest statement

We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

    Sudhir Khandelwal

  2. Department of Neurology, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, 01 BP 526, Benin

    Gilbert Avodé

  3. Public Mental Health Institute of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

    Florence Baingana

  4. Department of Psychiatry Medical Arts Building, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines

    Bernado Conde

  5. Neurology PanAndean Corporation for Research and Development Avenida, Amazonas 4769, Suite 304, Quito, Ecuador

    Marcelo Cruz

  6. Department of Psychiatry, SSB Hospital, Kuala Belait, Brunei

    Parameshvara Deva

  7. Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Tropical Neurology, University of Limoges, 87025, Limoges Cedex, France

    Michel Dumas

  8. Global Network for Research in Mental and Neurological Health, Fichtenweg 1, 72805, Lichtenstein, Germany

    Walter Gulbinat

  9. Adolescence Programme, Ministry of Health, Chile Mac-Iver 541, Santiago, Chilie

    Carmen Lopez

  10. Central Board of Health, Lusaka, Zambia

    John Mayeya

  11. University of Health Sciences, Khayaban-e-Jamia, Punjab, 54600, Lahore, India

    Malik H. Mubbashar

  12. World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, Abdul Razzak Al Sanhouri Street, P.O. Box 7608, 11371, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt

    Ahmad Mohit

  13. Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, P.O Box 30197, G.P.O, Nairobi, Kenya

    David Ndeti

  14. Department of Psychiatry, Vilnius University, 3 Universiteto St, Vilnius, 01513, Lithuania

    Dainius Puras

  15. Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, Abdul Razzak Al Sanhouri Street, P.O. Box 7608, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt, 11371

    Khalid Saeed

  16. GGzE, Boschdijk 771, 5626, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Klaas Schilder

  17. Emeritus Department of Neurology, The Mahoney Institute of Neurological Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, 3451 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Donald Silberberg

  18. Department of Psychiatry, Institute for Human Relations, New Bulgarian University, 21, Montevideo Street, 1618, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Toma Tomov

  19. Policy and Economics Group, Queensland Centre for Schizophrenia Research, The Park, Wacol, QLD, 4076, Australia

    Clare Townsend

  20. London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London, WC2A 2AE, UK

    Valentina Iemmi

  21. World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre, Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK

    Rachel Jenkins

Authors
  1. Sudhir Khandelwal
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  2. Gilbert Avodé
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  3. Florence Baingana
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  4. Bernado Conde
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  5. Marcelo Cruz
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  6. Parameshvara Deva
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  7. Michel Dumas
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  8. Walter Gulbinat
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  9. Carmen Lopez
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  10. John Mayeya
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  11. Malik H. Mubbashar
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  12. Ahmad Mohit
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  13. David Ndeti
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  14. Dainius Puras
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  15. Khalid Saeed
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  16. Klaas Schilder
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  17. Donald Silberberg
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  18. Toma Tomov
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  19. Clare Townsend
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  20. Valentina Iemmi
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  21. Rachel Jenkins
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rachel Jenkins.

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Khandelwal, S., Avodé, G., Baingana, F. et al. Mental and neurological health research priorities setting in developing countries. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 45, 487–495 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-009-0089-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-009-0089-2

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