Developing and implementing collaborative research in global mental health: the NIMH Hubs

Abstract

Background: The US National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has stimulated and participated in efforts to identify priorities in global mental health research and facilitate research activities aimed at meeting the greatest challenges. Methods: In 2010, we convened clinicians and researchers, service users, representatives from ministries of health, and non-governmental organisations operating in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) to discuss what research is needed to reduce the mental health treatment gap. Findings: Ensuring that research meets the needs of end-users was a dominant theme. We subsequently developed an initiative, Collaborative Hubs for International Research on Mental Health in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (CHIRMH), with the goal of establishing regional hubs that would conduct public-health-relevant research through strategic collaborations and develop research capacity. Applicants needed to show collaboration with local or regional government agencies and non-governmental organisations that ensured access to service provider and service user viewpoints. The initiative required teams to conduct research on task-sharing for the delivery of mental health interventions, thus addressing the dearth of mental health human resources—one contributor to the treatment gap. Interpretation: NIMH currently has four funded Hubs in south Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America. Each Hub coordinates a collaborative team of investigators and stakeholders from at least five countries and multiple institutions in a given region. CHIRMH teams have launched studies applying mixed methods to test models of mental health service delivery in various health system environments in LMICs, established research training opportunities, and enriched the mental health research networks in LMICs. Funding: NIMH.