This course will highlight the scale of the treatment gap for mental health difficulties in low and middle income countries. The course will also explore ways of making culturally appropriate, evidenced-based treatments available to large numbers of individuals in a cost-effective and sustainable way.

This course is made up of lectures and seminars in semester 2.

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Two components of written assessment:

■ 50% Essay (1500 words)

Two 750-word critical essays on separate topics directly mapped onto the two ILOs below.

ILOs:

Critically evaluate ways of increasing the availability and accessibility of effective and culturally appropriate treatments for mental health difficulties. Consider what can be learned from the scaling up of physical health treatments.

Critically reflect on the benefits and dangers of medical pluralism in low- and middle-income countries.

■ 50% Essay (1600 words)

Students are required to write up a scaling-up strategy following a specific framework.

ILOs:

Critically discuss strategies to strengthen and sustain culturally appropriate mental health care and treatment within existing health systems. Such strategies may include task shifting, community-based rehabilitation, collaborative care and scaling-up.

Critically discuss how health systems and political factors may enhance or hinder the accessibility of mental health innovations (such as e-Health).

This course aims to provide online distance knowledge on a range of topics focusing on building capacity for the delivery of mental health services across the world. This course also aims to consider whether treatments developed in high- income countries translate to low and middle income countries and also aims to consider innovative ways of making mental health treatments widely available

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Critically evaluate ways of increasing the availability and accessibility of effective and culturally appropriate treatments for mental health difficulties. Consider what can be learned from the scaling up of physical health treatments.

2. Critically discuss strategies to strengthen and sustain culturally appropriate mental health care and treatment within existing health systems. Such strategies may include task shifting, community-based rehabilitation, collaborative care and scaling-up.

3. Critically discuss how health systems and political factors may enhance or hinder the accessibility of mental health innovations (such as e-Health).

4. Critically reflect on the benefits and dangers of medical pluralism in low- and middle-income countries.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.