Global Mental Health: New Pilot Course by the University of Washington (USA)

This course describes the key issues in global mental health, such as stigma and social determinants. Learn about stigma associated with mental health conditions, and assessment, treatment, task sharing, and integrated care.

Faculty/Lecturer: 

• • Dr. Deepa Rao, PhD, MA
  • Dr. Christopher Kemp, PhD

Course Learning Objectives

• After taking this course, you will be able to:
• Describe burden of mental disorder and explain life course perspective on mental health
•  Describe social determinants of mental health
• Define stigma and explain its origins and consequences
• List and describe various diagnostic and assessment tools
• Describe cultural differences in presentation of mental distress
•  List treatment options and techniques
• List prevention and promotion options and techniques
• Describe motivation and tools used for care integration
•  Describe methods of implementation science and know-do gap in global mental health

Overview

Mental health is the most neglected disease in global health which is concerning because mental and behavioral disorders are among the leading causes of disability worldwide.

This course describes the key issues in global mental health, such as stigma and social determinants. You will learn about stigma associated with mental health conditions, and assessment, treatment, task sharing, and integrated care. The course includes many case studies of adapting tools and interventions for different settings. While this course does not qualify you to diagnose and treat mental illness, you will learn about available resources for care, treatment and advocacy.

Sylubbus-Topics to be covered

Module 1: Key Issues 

· Global burden of disease 

· Life course: mental health and youth, adults, and geriatrics

· Mental health and sustainable development

· Social determinants

· Violence

Module 2: Stigma

·  What is stigma?

·  Stigma reduction

·  Stigma reduction interventions

·  Case study: RESHAPE

Module 3: Diagnostic Categories and Transcultural Presentation of Distress

· Diagnostic criteria & cultural psychiatry

· Mental illness perspectives

· Case Study: Presentations of distress—Bangalore

· Case Study: Presentations of distress—WHO schizophrenia studies

Module 4: Screening and Assessment

· Assessment tools & validation

· Best practices in using and adapting instruments

Module 5: Prevention and Promotion

· Policies 

· Social emotional learning, resilience 

Module 6: Treatment Part 1

· Pharmacologic

· Non-allopathic modalities

Module 7 Treatment Part 2

·  Psychosocial

· Trauma/GBV 

· Case study: adapting treatment for Native Americans

· Case study: novel treatment for refugees

· Case study: Cognitive processing therapy in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Module 8: Integrated Care

· Task-sharing

· Case study: collaborative care for depression & diabetes

· Case study: perinatal depression

Module 9: Mental health in humanitarian crises 

Module 10: Implementation Science   

NOTE: course content is subject to change

Format

This online course has pre-recorded video lectures, readings, discussion forums, quizzes and three assignments. Unique username and password will be issued to each participant to get access into online learning management system by the University of Washington after they successfully admitted into the course.

You can participate in this course as an independent participant or as part of a local site. The course is taught in English. Participants should be comfortable with written and spoken English.

Eligibility

To be admitted to the course you must have a Bachelor’s-level degree (or equivalent) and experience in a health-related field. Proficiency in algebra is required.

Certification

 For those who successfully completed the course will receive a formal printed Certificate of Completion on vellum paper with University of Washington seal mailed to them through DHL courier services. We will ship them all together to your Site Coordinator for distribution.

Sample of certificate of completion- scanned copy

Further Information

Any additional enquiry and questions about this program you should contact Dr. Mohamed Y. Dualeh, MD via his email: info@DrMohamedDualeh.com and if possible discourse with his on phone:(+252 63 4417945 by texting him in WhatsApp) regarding how to register, getting an assistance in application process.
Official website of the University: https://edgh.washington.edu/

PS: We are also hosting two other course in this offering, the Autumn 1) Monitoring and Evaluations in Global Health Course and 2) Introduction to Epidemiology in Global Health Course. (Follow links for details)