Methods of training lay individuals in the use of evidence-based services for the management of mental and behavioral health disorders: a scoping review protocol.

Abstract

The objective of this scoping review is to describe how lay individuals have been trained in evidence-based therapies to manage mental and behavioral health disorders as defined by the International Classification of Diseases, version 11. Health service delivery by lay individuals is common in under-resourced areas. Prior systematic reviews have examined the characteristics of lay workers, the types of services they provide, and the efficacy of their services. Our goal is to focus on the methods of training. Participants will include lay individuals who provide services to community residents; we will exclude individuals with formal training in health service delivery. We will consider for inclusion studies that include training programs for evidence-based therapies delivered to individuals with mental and behavioral health disorders, and will exclude those involving pharmacology or focusing on cognitive defects. We conducted a preliminary search of the literature on PubMed and CINAHL for articles related to the inclusion criteria and published in the past 10 years. Scanning the title, abstract, keywords, and MeSH terms, we generated comprehensive lists of terms and added search terms from six recent systematic reviews. Our search strategy will include MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, and gray literature. We will also consult with experts and review the reference lists of articles selected for final inclusion. Articles published in English or Spanish between 1960 and the present will be considered for inclusion. Data analysis will use a mix of descriptive and qualitative approaches, with data presented graphically or in diagrammatic or tabular format.