Identifying the Mental Health Research Priorities in Rural Settings, With Implications for Coastal Communities: A Rapid Evidence Synthesis

TL;DR

This study maps mental health research priorities in rural areas and highlights a lack of focus on coastal communities, urging more collaborative and context-specific research.

Contribution

The first rapid evidence synthesis of mental health research priorities in rural settings, identifying key gaps for coastal communities.

Findings

Seven categories of mental health research priorities were identified, including interventions, stakeholder engagement, and collaboration.

No studies focused on mental health research priorities in coastal contexts, highlighting a significant gap.

Participatory research and stakeholder collaboration are emphasized as essential for addressing local mental health needs in rural areas.

Abstract

There appears to be a spatial mismatch in rural communities between demand for and uptake of mental health services. There is currently no existing evidence synthesis of mental health research priorities pertaining explicitly to rural and coastal contexts.

The rapid review aimed to identify and map existing international evidence on rural and coastal mental health research priorities.

A rapid systematic review was conducted, consistent with guidelines from the Cochrane Rapid Review Methods Group and PRISMA. Keywords and subject headings were searched in PubMed and PsycINFO. Supplementary searching was performed in Google Scholar. Data were extracted using an adapted version of the REPRISE framework. Content analysis was conducted to establish priorities.

1285 studies were screened and 20 publications included (Australia n = 8, USA n = 9, UK n = 2, no geographic focus n = 1). The content analysis grouped the priorities into seven categories: (1) interventions; (2) space and place; (3) stakeholder engagement; (4) improving understanding; (5) standardising data and terminology; (6) outreach; and (7) collaboration. Within these categories, there were 16 priorities and 53 sub‐priorities. No evidence focused on mental health research priorities in coastal contexts.

Future rural mental health research requires stronger collaboration between relevant stakeholders to reflect local needs. Participatory research is key to achieving that. There was no mental health research priority setting exercise that accounted for the coastal context, highlighting a notable gap.

The findings can inform how rural and coastal mental health research proceeds at a local, national, and international level.

This rapid evidence review is the first to synthesise the international evidence on mental health research priorities in rural settings.The findings can support rural mental health researchers to contextualise their own research priorities within the wider extant literature.There is an urgent need for a mental health research priority setting exercise unique to the coastal context.

This rapid evidence review is the first to synthesise the international evidence on mental health research priorities in rural settings.

The findings can support rural mental health researchers to contextualise their own research priorities within the wider extant literature.

There is an urgent need for a mental health research priority setting exercise unique to the coastal context.

There is growing concern around the availability of both health and mental health services for rural, remote, and coastal communities.Mental health research priority setting exercises can support the allocation of resources towards the most pressing and impactful research questions.

There is growing concern around the availability of both health and mental health services for rural, remote, and coastal communities.

Mental health research priority setting exercises can support the allocation of resources towards the most pressing and impactful research questions.

Figures