Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and mental health have complex, bidirectional impacts. Integrated service delivery, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where resources are most limited and the burden of HIV is heaviest, may help to improve both HIV and mental health outcomes. While the integration of mental health and HIV services has been studied in various settings, previous reviews on this topic have primarily focused on the integration processes rather than health outcomes. In this systematic review, we evaluated the effectiveness of interventions in LMICs that integrated mental health and HIV services. We searched PubMed, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, PsycINFO and EMBASE and conducted backward and forward citation searches. We included studies conducted in LMICs that evaluated the integration of services for HIV and mental health conditions using pre-post or multi-arm study designs, published in a peer-reviewed journal from January 2000 through January 2024. Studies on substance use services were excluded. Risk of bias for included studies was assessed using the Evidence Project tool. We summarized findings narratively, including both mental health-related and HIV-related outcomes. Eighteen studies with a total of 9,729 participants were included in the analysis, among which 17 studies were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa and 10 were randomized controlled trials. Seventeen studies used a task-sharing approach, where nonspecialists provided mental health interventions. The low follow-up rate and lack of random participant selection suggested the increased risk of bias in most studies. Overall, interventions that integrated mental health and HIV services provided greater improvement in recipients’ mental health symptoms (e.g., depression and post-traumatic stress disorder) than HIV services alone, often reducing symptom scores by more than 50%. While the evidence on HIV-related outcomes (e.g., antiretroviral therapy adherence, viral suppression and HIV stigma) was more limited, most studies that reported these outcomes showed positive effects of integrated interventions, especially community-based ones. These findings suggest the benefit of the interventions that integrate mental health and HIV services in LMICs, although further evaluations are warranted.

The present study relied on internet memes as a tool to possibly fight ageism and shape public views in a positive manner. Data collection took place between May and June 2024, recruiting 160 Israeli Arabs, aged 13 to 16, from 3 different schools. In total, 105 memes addressed ageism towards older people. Visual and written contents were described, followed by more interpretative analysis. The memes were classified into two main themes. The first concerned negative ageist stereotypes of older persons (n = 66). The second theme concerned attempts to combat ageism (n = 39). Even though students received explicit instructions to fight ageism via their meme production, most students produced memes which depicted older age and ageing in a negative stereotypical light. The study highlights the relatively high levels of ageism in this group of participants and points to areas needing further attention in future interventions to alleviate ageism. The present findings are important as they question the current thinking of the Arab population as characterized by familistic values of high levels of respect towards older persons.

The global prevalence of mental health disorders among youths aged 15 to 24 is a significant public health concern. This systematic review aimed to explore global strategies for promoting mental well-being and addressing mental health challenges within this demographic, as defined by the World Health Organization. A comprehensive search of electronic scientific databases was conducted on November 1, 2023, yielding 43 studies with a total of 29,581 participants published between 2008 and 2023 that examined mental health interventions targeting youth. This review identified heterogeneity across multiple dimensions including modes and modalities of intervention delivery, conceptualisations of mental health, measurement tools and implementation settings. Digital/ technology-based interventions were prevalent in high-income countries, whereas physical interventions were more commonly employed across all income groups, especially where technological infrastructure was limited. Cognitive-behavioural therapy, psychoeducation and mindfulness-based interventions dominated the intervention modalities, likely due to their structured formats, scalability and broad applicability across a range of settings and mental health conditions. However, limited evidence of cultural adaptation in the reviewed interventions highlights the need for more inclusive and context-sensitive approaches. Schools were the most frequent delivery setting; however, reliance on educational platforms risks excluding out-of-school and marginalised youth. Conceptually, the reviewed interventions reflected both disorder-specific (diagnostic) and transdiagnostic understandings of mental health, affirming a spectrum-based view that integrates symptom reduction with well-being enhancement. This dual lens supports emerging frameworks such as the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP). Measurement heterogeneity mirrored conceptual diversity, with both standardised and context-specific tools used to assess outcomes. This diversity highlighted the urgent need for culturally relevant, flexible and multi-modal interventions that span diverse settings and conceptualisations to equitably support youth mental health worldwide.

People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) often experience co-morbid/co-occurring mental health conditions, e.g., depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In resource-limited settings, where provider shortages are common, task shifting and task sharing (i.e., service delivery by non-professionals) are recommended strategies to promote access to and utilization of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services among PLWH. We conducted a global scoping review of the literature on MHPSS task shifting and sharing intervention studies for PLWH. Data extracted and summarized included study characteristics, intervention components, whether trauma informed study design, how lay health workers (LHWs) were identified and trained to deliver MHPSS services, and findings related to mental health outcomes. Results indicated that from 2013 through 2022, published intervention research concerning task shifting and sharing approaches was much more prolific in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries. MHPSS interventions delivered by a variety of LHWs yielded promising associations on an array of mental health outcomes, including PTSD/trauma and suicidality, though understudied. Underreported details regarding LHW recruitment/selection, compensation, supervision and assessment made it difficult to identify common or best practices. Further research is needed to facilitate the adoption and implementation of MHPSS task shifting and sharing interventions.

There is a scarcity of psychological interventions for self-harm in young people, either developed or adapted for use in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). ATMAN is a psychological intervention developed in India for youth with three key modules: problem-solving, emotion regulation and social network strengthening skills in addition to crisis management. ATMAN was delivered in 27 youth with a history of self-harm (14–24 years old) sequentially by a specialist and it a non-specialist counsellor. Out of 27, 18 youth who started the ATMAN intervention completed it, and 13 completed the 10-month follow-up. There was a significant reduction in post-intervention scores on Beck’s Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSI) (mean difference [confidence interval]: 14.1 [17.2, 10.9]) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) (9.6 [12.8, 6.4]) from the baseline scores, irrespective of who delivered the intervention (non-specialist vs. specialist). The difference remained significant at the 10-month follow-up (BSI: 17.0 [20.5, 13.6] and PHQ-9: 10.5 [14.5, 6.6]). Themes such as improved understanding of self-harm acting as a deterrent, using ATMAN strategies to deal with daily life distress, and the importance of addressing stigma in self-harm emerged during the qualitative interviews. Although requiring further evaluation, ATMAN shows promise as a scalable intervention that can be used in LMICs to reduce the burden of suicide in young people.

Changing human behaviours is a key facet of addressing global environmental issues. There are many factors (i.e. determinants) that could influence whether an individual engages in pro-environmental behaviour, and understanding these determinants can improve efforts to protect and restore the natural environment. However, despite published criticism of poor survey design, there is little practical guidance on how to capture these determinants accurately in closed-answer surveys (those with predefined answer options). A recent literature review summarized behavioural determinants of pro-environmental behaviour. We build on this by providing practical insights into how 17 key pro-environmental behavioural determinants can be measured through closed-answer surveys. We reviewed 177 papers published during 2013–2023 that met the criteria for inclusion. These papers captured 624 measurements of the 17 determinants. We found seven types of question formats used, including scales (Likert scales, semantic scales and a pictorial scale), multiple-choice questions (where respondents could select either one or more answer options), binary questions and ranking questions. We then synthesized design considerations both specifically for each format and more broadly across surveys. These considerations included using validated measures, reducing cognitive burden and biases (e.g. social desirability bias, order effects, recall bias), selecting the question format (e.g. different formats of multiple-choice or binary questions) and using best practices for scale questions. The insights collected through this review provide practical advice for developing closed-answer surveys that robustly and usefully measure key determinants of pro-environmental behaviour.

Our systematic review aims to synthesise the evidence on interventions targeting improvement in patient adherence to psychological treatments for common mental disorders. A search was conducted on six electronic databases using search terms under the following concepts: common mental disorders, adherence, psychological treatments and controlled trial study design. Due to the heterogeneity in intervention content and outcomes evaluated in the included studies, a narrative synthesis was conducted. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Version 2 tool for randomised controlled trials and the Cochrane ROBINS-I tool for non-randomised controlled trials. The search yielded 23 distinct studies with a total sample size of 2,779 participants. All studies were conducted in high-income or upper-middle-income countries. Interventions to improve patient adherence to psychological treatments included reminders and between-session engagement (e.g., text messages), motivational interviewing, therapy orientation (e.g., expectation-setting) and overcoming structural barriers (e.g., case management). Interventions from 18 out of 23 studies were successful in improving at least one primary adherence outcome of interest (e.g., session attendance). Some studies also reported an improvement in secondary outcomes – six studies reported an improvement in at least one clinical outcome (e.g., depression), and three studies reported improvements in at least one measure of well-being or disability (e.g., days spent in in-patient treatment). By incorporating these interventions into psychological treatment services, therapists can better engage with and support their patients, potentially leading to improved mental health outcomes and overall well-being.