Supporting the Unseen: Reimagining Mental Health Services for African Online Students
Résumé
It is noted that distance learning students in the African continent experience acute, yet frequently underreported, mental health issues that can be explained by structural issues of low face-to-face contact, poor institutional mental-health services, and disparate access to digital technologies. All of these factors lead to an increased amount of depression, anxiety, and stress and decreased use of formal mental-health support services. The purpose of the current work was to evaluate mental-health needs of African distance learners, and to find efficient and fair support options. The systematic review methodology was used, and it synthesized the empirical evidence on the mental-health burden in students, digital mental health interventions, peer support systems, and obstacles to seek help. The compilation of the reviewed research showed that digital mental-health interventions typically yielded small to moderate effects of depression, anxiety and stress in students; this was often nullified due to lack of user engagement, cultural adaptation, technology access, and insufficient institutional support systems. Peer support models and blended support models which were based on the use of digital platforms and a human interaction were found to be more acceptable and have a better help-seeking behaviour than completely digital interventions. The review is concluded with the idea that user-centred, culturally responsive, and hybrid mental-health support models which involve the integration of digital platforms in peer and professional support are the most promising avenue of creating inclusive, accessible, and equity-oriented mental-health services to African distance-education learners.
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