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Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Abstract

The mental health treatment gap in India is part of a growing public health crisis, with over 95% of those in need of services never receiving them. Over 197 million Indians suffer from at least one diagnosable mental health disorder, and this number continues to grow given the treatment gap. The treatment gap is a result of four major factors: lack of government support, stigma, limited treatment facilities, and dearth of professionals able to provide treatment. The current study aimed to analyze several factors of paraprofessional-led mental health interventions including setting, treatments delivered, treatment models, and client outcomes. A narrative literature review was conducted to synthesize the current available research on paraprofessional-led mental health interventions in India. Twelve studies published between 2010 and 2020 were included in the review. Most studies (n = 10, 83%) with paraprofessionals were conducted in both peri-urban and rural areas, and in a variety of different clinical settings (e.g., healthcare facilities, schools). All (100%) paraprofessional interventions used evidence-based treatments for mental health problems, including psychotherapy and pharmaceutical treatment. Paraprofessionals provided services under a collaborative stepped care model in many studies (n = 9, 75%). Of the studies that used quantitative methods to evaluate changes in client outcomes, all ten (100%) found that paraprofessionals significantly reduced the severity of symptoms of mental disorders and improved functioning. These findings provide support for the efficacy of paraprofessional-led interventions in treating the mental health needs of the Indian population. Moreover, they illustrate that paraprofessionals can be a solution to mitigating the mental health treatment gap in India.

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