Multi-sector determinants of implementation and sustainment for non-specialist treatment of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder in Kenya: a concept mapping study

TL;DR

This study identifies factors that help or hinder the use of non-specialist workers to treat depression and PTSD in Kenya, using expert input to guide future mental health workforce strategies.

Contribution

The study introduces a concept mapping approach to identify multi-sector determinants for scaling non-specialist mental health care in Kenya.

Findings

Twelve clusters of determinants were identified, including workforce characteristics and financial resource allocation.

Cluster 8, related to policy and resource allocation, was rated the most important and changeable.

Formal partnerships between the Ministry of Health and community teams are needed to sustain non-specialist mental health care.

Abstract

The global shortage of trained mental health workers disproportionately impacts mental health care access in low- and middle-income countries. In Kenya, effective strategies are needed to scale-up the workforce to meet the demand for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder treatment. Task-shifting – delegating specific tasks to non-specialist workers – is one workforce expansion approach. However, non-specialist workers remain underutilized in Kenya due to a paucity of research on how to scale-up and sustain such service models.

Purposive sampling was used to recruit experts from policy, healthcare practice, research, and mental health advocacy roles in Kenya (N = 30). Participants completed concept mapping activities to explore factors likely to facilitate or hinder a collaborative Ministry of Health-researcher training of the mental health non-specialist workforce. Participants brainstormed 71 statements describing determinants and implementation strategies, sorted and rated the importance and changeability of each. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis quantified relationships between statements. The Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment (EPIS) framework guided cluster interpretation activities.

Twelve determinant clusters were identified: 1) Current workforce characteristics, 2) Exploration considerations, 3) Preparation considerations, 4) Sustainment considerations, 5) Inner context implementation processes and tools, 6) Local capacity and partnerships, 7) Financing for community health teams, 8) Outer context resource allocation/policy into action, 9) Workforce characteristics to enhance during implementation, 10) Workforce implementation strategies, 11) Cross-level workforce strategies, and 12) Training and education recommendations. Cluster 8 was rated the most important and changeable.

Concept mapping offers a rapid, community-engaged approach for identifying determinants and implementation strategies to address workforce shortages. Organizing results by EPIS phases can help prioritize strategy deployment to achieve implementation goals. Scale-up and sustainment of the non-specialist workforce in Kenya requires formal partnerships between the Ministry of Health and community health worker teams to distribute financial resources and collaboratively standardize training curriculum.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43058-025-00744-7.

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