Global Mental Health

Head: PD Dr. Kristina Adorjan & PD Dr. Andrea Jobst

Mental Health is finally being recognized as a global health priority. Despite 14 % of the global burden of disease being attributed to mental, neurological and substance use disorders, in many parts of the world, especially in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC), people who suffer from mental disorders are severely underserved and are more vulnerable to physical and psychological abuse. The Global Mental Health Research Group aims to improve global mental health by encouraging education and dialogue between High-Income Countries (HIC) and Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC). It stands firmly behind the notion that “there is no health without mental health”. Moving forward, we will continue to work diligently to strengthen ties between countries of all incomes and will work tirelessly to highlight the importance of thoughtful, sustainable and effective strategies in the field of global mental health.

The Global Mental Health Research Group is board member and focus area of the CIH^LMU Center for International Health at the University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany. The CIHLMU Center for International Health was established in 2009 through a call for proposals by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) under the program “University Excellence in Development Cooperation - exceed” funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). With the mission of capacity building in training and research, the CIHLMU Center for International Health aims to improve health conditions in LMIC by promoting medical education and research with the overarching vison to empower health professionals. It supports the local training of medical professionals and the development of innovative curricula taking into account local conditions and needs. With support, the partner universities are able to define their own training and research content, to integrate into international knowledge networks and to implement their research findings.

Main areas of interest:

Development of Global Mental Health education programs
Capacity building in low- and middle-income settings
International research cooperations focusing on the 2030 agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Global Mental Health networking
Transcultural psychiatry
Epidemiological studies
Antistigma work

Cooperation with Jimma University, Ethiopia

The Global Mental Health Research Group has established a close partnership with the department of psychiatry at Jimma University (JU) in southswestern Ethiopia. With the support of CIHLMU, in 2010 JU initiated a two-year Master’s program (MSc) in Integrated Clinical and Community Mental Health for the training of non-physician clinicians with the aim to improve decentral mental health services across Ethiopia and contribute to capacity building and multiplication of knowledge. Future directions include support for culturally sensitive and appropriate psychosocial interventions, top-down approaches to train non-specialist health workers, and rehabilitation programs.

Research cooperations with JU include the following topics:

Evaluations of training curricula
Antistigma work
Epidemiological studies

Mental Health Network in Ethiopia

To strengthen a mental health network within Ethiopia, the Global Mental Health Research Group has developed annual Network Meetings across Ethiopia since 2015, which bring together local and international health care workers to discuss challenges and share ideas.

Advanced Module in Global Mental Health
In cooperation with the division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine - Teaching and Training Unit (T&TU) and the CIHLMU Center for International Health we organize the annual advanced training course “Mental Health in Low- and Middle-Income Settings” (VERLINKUNG), which is open for post-graduate students in the field of International and Global Health. The course is accredited by the TropEd Network for Higher Education Institutions in International Health.

Global Mental Health Symposium
The Global Mental Health Research Group engages the international community on issues related to global mental health. This includes the annual organization of the renowned International Symposium on Global Mental Health in Developing Countries in cooperation with i.nez, which takes place at the department of Psychiatry, LMU, in Munich since 2008.

Epidemiology, neurobiological markers and genetic
In cooperation with the Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG) and the Epidemiology and Laboratory Department at JU large scale genetico-epidemiological studies on substance abuse, trauma and psychosis will be performed. The aim is to support young scientist, transfer know-how, establish new research methods, and to strengthen the professional profile of psychiatry.

A cross-sectional study of psychopathy and khat abuse among prisoners in the correctional institution in Jimma, Ethiopia.
Yitayih Y, Soboka M, Tesfaye E, Abera M, Mamaru A, Adorjan K. Journal: PLoS One. 2020 Jan 16;15(1):e0227405. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227405

Evaluation of a Master of Science in Integrated Clinical and Community Mental Health (MSc ICCMH) program in Ethiopia.

Soboka M, Adorjan K, Dehning S, Asaminew T, Abera M, Siebeck M, Tesfaye M, Jobst A. Journal: Ger Med Sci. 2018 Dec 18;16:Doc04. doi: 10.3205/000266.

Prevalence, withdrawal symptoms and associated factors of khat chewing among students at Jimma University in Ethiopia.
Abdeta T, Tolessa D, Adorjan K and Abera M. Journal: BMC Psychiatry (2017) 17:142 doi: 10.1186/s12888-017-1284-4

Public Stigma against People with Mental Illness in Jimma Town Southwest Ethiopia.
Reta Y, Tesfaye M, Girma E, Dehning S, Adorjan K. Journal: PLoS One. 2016 Nov 28;11(11):e0163103. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163103.

The development of a model of training in child psychiatry for non-physician clinicians in Ethiopia.

Tesfaye M, Abera M, Gruber-Frank C, Frank R. Journal: Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health, 2014 8(1):6 doi: 10.1186/1753-2000-8-6

Quality of life in Ethiopia’s street youth at a rehabilitation center and the association with trauma.
Mannert K, Dehning S, Krause D, Leitner B, Rieder G, Siebeck M, Tesfaye M, Abera M, Hailesilassie H, Tesfay K, Jobst A. Journal: J Trauma Stress. 2014 Oct;27(5):593-601. doi: 10.1002/jts.21953.

Beza Alemu Tsegaye, MD; Mattiwos Soboka, MSc; ass. Prof. Mubarek Abera, MSc (Jimma University, Ethiopia)
Prof. Markos Tesfaye, MD, PhD (St. Paul´s Hospital Millenium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; current fellow at National Institutes of Health, US)
Prof. Eshetu Girma, MPH, PhD (Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia)
International Network for Cooperation in Mental Health e.V. (i.nez), Germany
Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
Prof. Matthias Siebeck (Department of Surgery, Institute for Medical Education, Center for International Health, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany)
Dr. Herbert Steinböck (kbo Isar-Amper-Klinikum, Munich, Germany)
Dr. Georg Rieder (Klinikum Traunstein, Germany; Facilitator for Change