EXPERIENCE OF TEACHING THE COURSE “FUNDAMENTALS OF CLINICAL PRACTICE IN THE FIELD OF MENTAL HEALTH (mhGAP)” IN INTERNSHIP
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11603/m.2414-5998.2026.1.16045Keywords:
mental health; mhGAP program; primary care psychoneurological disorders; graduate level education.Abstract
Abstract. Mental health is a key component of global health, social well-being and sustainable development. According to WHO and the UN, mental and neurological disorders (MND) are among the leading causes of years of life lost with disability and constitute a significant socio-economic onus, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In Ukraine, the problem of MND has significantly worsened since 2014 and has become a public health problem after the outbreak of a full-scale war in 2022, which has led to an urgent need to expand access to psychosocial and medical care. One of the key responses to these challenges is the implementation of the WHO global Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP), aimed at involving non-specialists in providing basic care to people with MND. The aim of the study was to assess the demand for skills in providing non-specialized care to individuals with MND among interns of various specialties and the effectiveness of the training “Fundamentals of Clinical Practice in the Field of Mental Health (mhGAP)”. The study was conducted among interns of the first year of training (n=140) using a questionnaire before and after completing a 50-hour training, which included training sessions, independent work, role-playing games, clinical case analysis and online courses. The analysis was carried out using descriptive statistical methods. The results showed that the vast majority of interns have experience in contact with patients with signs of MND, but before the start of training did not consider the assessment of the mental state as part of their own professional competence. After completing the training, all respondents noted its high practical value, readiness to apply the acquired knowledge and skills in clinical practice, primarily in the field of effective communication and psychosocial interventions. The obtained data confirm the relevance and feasibility of integrating mhGAP into the internship program and the formation of a biopsychosocial model of doctor – patient interaction as a promising direction for further educational and scientific research.
References
World Health Organization. (2025). World mental health today: Latest data. World Health Organization. Retrieved from: https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo/
World Health Organization, & International Labour Organization. (2023). Guidelines on mental health at work. World Health Organization. Retrieved from: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc-sa/3.0/igo/
World Health Organization. (2022). WHO guidelines on mental health at work. World Health Organization. Retrieved from: https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo/
Ministry of Health of Ukraine, & World Health Organization. (2022). Operational roadmap: Priority multisectoral mental health and psychosocial support actions in Ukraine during and after the war. Retrieved from: https://knowledge.or
Tkachenko, V. (2024). Mental health disorders, anxiety and depression in Ukrainians associated with war and migration. In S. M. Sidik & F. Goodyear-Smith (Eds.), Anxiety and depression in primary care: International perspectives (pp. 146–150). CRC Press. DOI: https://doi. org/10.1201/9781003391531
Liashko, V. (2022). Vplyv viiny na psykhychnе zdorovia kolosalnyi [The impact of war on mental health is colossal] [Press release]. Government Portal of Ukraine. Retrieved from: https://www.kmu.gov.ua/ news/vpliv-vijni-na-psihichne-zdorovya-kolos- alnij-viktor-lyashko [in Ukrainian].
Gradus Research Plus. (2022). State of Ukrainians’ mental health and attitudes toward psycho- logical assistance during the war. Retrieved from: https://gradus.app/en/open-reports/mental-health-and-attitudes-ukrainians-towards-psycho- logical-assistance-during-war/
Peshe, I. & Andriiuchenko, T. (2022). Zberezhennia psykhichnoho zdorovia molodi v umo- vakh povnomasshtabnoi viiny [Preservation of youth mental health under conditions of full-scale war]. Praktyka sotsialnoi roboty ta sotsialnoi osvity – Practice of Social Work and Social Education, 2(11), 106–113. [in Ukrainian].
Karahodina, O., Kovtun, O., Neduzhko, O., Filippovych, M. & Dumchev, K. (2024). Mental health of key populations: Needs and access to services during the war against Ukraine. Alliance for Public Health.
Charlson, F., van Ommeren, M., Flaxman, A., Cornett, J., Whiteford, H., & Saxena, S. (2019). New WHO prevalence estimates of mental disorders in conflict settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet, 394(10194), 240–248. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30934-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30934-1
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Technical Working Group. Retrieved from: https://response.reliefweb.int/ ukraine/mental-health-andpsychosocial-sup- port-technical-working-group
Ustinov, O. V. (n.d.). Prohrama mhGAP: shcho vona daie likariam pervynky [mhGAP programme: What it offers to primary care physicians]. Ukrainskyi medychnyi chasopys – Ukrainian Medical Journal. Retrieved from: https://www.umj.com.ua/uk/novyna-242726-pro- grama-mhgap-shho-vona-daye-likaryam-pervinki [in Ukrainian].
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. (2020). STEPS prevalence of non- communicable disease risk factors in Ukraine 2019. Retrieved from: https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/336642
Sen, A. (1999). Health in development. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 77, 619–623.
Lazarchuk, T. & Kryskiv, O. (2023). Osnovni pryntsypy formuvannia likariv-spetsialistiv pid chas internatury [Fundamental principles of specialist physician formation during internship]. Medychna osvita – Medical Education, (1), 121–125. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11603/m.2414-5998.2023.1.13835 [in Ukrainian]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11603/m.2414-5998.2023.1.13835
