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Advancing Youth Mental Health: Innovations, Integration, and Equity

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 674

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Graduate School, University of Maryland Baltimore, 620 W. Lexington Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
Interests: mental health; gender-based violence; quality improvement; HIV; adolescent health; non-communicable diseases

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of global mental health among adolescents and youth. Mental health disorders are a leading cause of disability in young people worldwide, with almost one in every three adolescents experiencing mental health distress. Yet, many remain underdiagnosed and undertreated. Integrating and streamlining mental health assessments and interventions into broader health initiatives are essential to addressing these challenges. Optimizing digital technology could significantly enhance the reach and effectiveness of mental health services, particularly in low-resource settings. Digital platforms offer innovative solutions for mental health screening, intervention, and support, making these services more accessible and scalable.

Addressing comorbidities, such as substance abuse, anxiety, depression, and chronic physical conditions, through integrated care models is crucial to the achievement of holistic health outcomes. Furthermore, social determinants of health—such as socioeconomic status, education, and environmental factors—play a significant role in mental health. Enhancing the equity of access to mental health services is imperative to ensure that marginalized and underserved populations receive adequate care.

By advancing adolescent and youth mental health within the global health agenda, this Special Issue aims to highlight the importance of inclusive and comprehensive approaches to mental health prevention, care, and treatment.

Prof. Dr. Peter Memiah
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • youth mental health
  • global health
  • digital technology
  • mental health comorbidities
  • integrated care
  • mental health equity
  • access

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

19 pages, 1149 KiB  
Article
A Gamified Digital Mental Health Intervention Across Six Sub-Saharan African Countries: A Cross-Sectional Evaluation of a Large-Scale Implementation
by Christopher K. Barkley, Charmaine N. Nyakonda, Kondwani Kuthyola, Polite Ndlovu, Devyn Lee, Andrew Dallos, Danny Kofi-Armah, Priscilla Obeng and Katherine G. Merrill
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(8), 1281; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22081281 - 15 Aug 2025
Viewed by 339
Abstract
Mental health conditions affect many young people in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where stigma is high and access to care is limited. Digital tools accessible on basic mobile phones offer a scalable way to promote mental health, but evidence on their effectiveness in SSA [...] Read more.
Mental health conditions affect many young people in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where stigma is high and access to care is limited. Digital tools accessible on basic mobile phones offer a scalable way to promote mental health, but evidence on their effectiveness in SSA is limited. This study evaluated the reach, feasibility, acceptability, and knowledge outcomes of Digital MindSKILLZ, an interactive voice response (IVR) mental health intervention implemented in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia. Over seven months, 700,138 people called the platform, and 425,395 (61%) listened to at least one message. Of these users, 63.6% were under 25 and 68.3% were from rural areas. The three content branches—mental health information, mental health skills, and soccer quizzes—were accessed by 36.5%, 46.4%, and 50.9% of users, respectively. Among users who accessed the mental health branch of the intervention, the mean number of messages completed was 7.6 out of 18 messages. In a follow-up survey, 91% of users understood the content, 85% would recommend the intervention, and 38% found the mental health content most helpful. Average knowledge scores were 62%, with lower scores on common disorders and stigma. The intervention showed strong reach and acceptability, but content and implementation improvements are needed to boost engagement and retention. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Youth Mental Health: Innovations, Integration, and Equity)
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