title: Capacity building in global mental health research.
abstract: Research-generated information about mental disorders is crucial in order to establish the health needs in a given setting, to propose culturally apt and cost-effective individual and collective interventions, to investigate their implementation, and to explore the obstacles that prevent recommended strategies from being implemented. Yet the capacity to undertake such research in low- and middle-income countries is extremely limited. This article describes two methods that have proved successful in strengthening, or that have the potential to strengthen, mental health research capacity in low-resource settings. We identify the central challenges to be faced, review current programs offering training and mentorship, and summarize the key lessons learned. A structured approach is proposed for the career development of research staff at every career stage, to be accompanied by performance monitoring and support. A case example from the Mental Health and Poverty Project in sub-Saharan Africa illustrates how this approach can be put into practice-in particular, by focusing upon training in core transferrable research skills.
authors.affiliation: Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK. graham.thornicroft@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thornicroft
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Tine Van
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Bortel
authors.forename: Ritsuko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kakuma
authors.forename: Crick
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lund
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D057191:Capacity Building / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D014943:Global Health; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D008611:Mentors; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods