Improving mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in humanitarian settings: reflections on research funded through R2HC

This article, published in Conflict and Health on 30 October 2020, gives an overview of the R2HC portfolio of mental health and psychosocial (MHPSS) research, and draws out lessons learned. It discusses the mental health and psychosocial support-focused research projects funded by R2HC; reviews the implications of initial findings from this research portfolio, and identifies remaining knowledge gaps.

Findings point to the importance of building effective, sustained, and diverse partnerships between scholars, humanitarian practitioners, and funders, to ensure long-term program improvements and appropriate evidence-informed decision making.

More research is needed on how to:

• Scale-up interventions that have been found to be effective
• Address neglected mental health conditions and populations
• Build on available local resources and supports
• Ensure equity, quality, fidelity, and sustainability for interventions in real-world contexts.

The article was developed following a meeting of the MHPSS research community of practice convened by WHO and Elrha in Geneva, October 2017. The lead author of the article was Prof. Wietse A. Tol, University of Copenhagen.

Citation:
Tol, W.A., Ager, A., Bizouerne, C. et al. Improving mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in humanitarian settings: reflections on research funded through R2HC. Confl Health 14, 71 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-020-00317-6