title: Stakeholder analysis of the Programme for Improving Mental health carE (PRIME): baseline findings.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The knowledge generated from evidence-based interventions in mental health systems research is seldom translated into policy and practice in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). Stakeholder analysis is a potentially useful tool in health policy and systems research to improve understanding of policy stakeholders and increase the likelihood of knowledge translation into policy and practice. The aim of this study was to conduct stakeholder analyses in the five countries participating in the Programme for Improving Mental health carE (PRIME); evaluate a template used for cross-country comparison of stakeholder analyses; and assess the utility of stakeholder analysis for future use in mental health policy and systems research in LMIC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using an adapted stakeholder analysis instrument, PRIME country teams in Ethiopia, India, Nepal, South Africa and Uganda identified and characterised stakeholders in relation to the proposed action: scaling-up mental health services. Qualitative content analysis was conducted for stakeholder groups across countries, and a force field analysis was applied to the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stakeholder analysis of PRIME has identified policy makers (WHO, Ministries of Health, non-health sector Ministries and Parliament), donors (DFID UK, DFID country offices and other donor agencies), mental health specialists, the media (national and district) and universities as the most powerful, and most supportive actors for scaling up mental health care in the respective PRIME countries. Force field analysis provided a means of evaluating cross-country stakeholder power and positions, particularly for prioritising potential stakeholder engagement in the programme.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stakeholder analysis has been helpful as a research uptake management tool to identify targeted and acceptable strategies for stimulating the demand for research amongst knowledge users, including policymakers and practitioners. Implementing these strategies amongst stakeholders at a country level will hopefully reduce the knowledge gap between research and policy, and improve health system outcomes for the programme.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Alan J Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, University of Cape Town, 46 Sawkins Road, Rondebosch, 7700 Cape Town South Africa.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Makan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, PO Box 9086, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ; Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Centre for Affective Disorders and Affective Disorders Research Group, London, UK.
authors.forename: Abebaw
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fekadu
authors.affiliation: Public Health Foundation of India, Sangath House, House Number 6, Rishi Nagar, Char Imli, Bhopal, 462016 Madhya Pradesh India.
authors.forename: Vaibhav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Murhar
authors.affiliation: Transcultural Psychosocial Organization Nepal, Baluwatar, Box 8974, Kathmandu, GPO Nepal.
authors.forename: Nagendra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Luitel
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College Campus, Durban, 4000 South Africa.
authors.forename: Tasneem
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kathree
authors.affiliation: Butabika National Mental Hospital, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ssebunya
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Alan J Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, University of Cape Town, 46 Sawkins Road, Rondebosch, 7700 Cape Town South Africa.
authors.forename: Crick
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lund
keywords: Health policy and systems research; Knowledge translation; Mental health; Research uptake; Stakeholder analysis