Innovative mental health training can transform Uganda’s workplaces

Recent research focuses on adapting an acceptance-based mental health intervention called Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT-W), which was developed by Dr. Paul Flaxman and Ross McIntosh at City St George’s, to fit into Uganda’s unique socio-cultural and economic environment.

As Uganda’s workforce faces mental health challenges due to precarious working conditions, there is a need for accessible and effective mental health promotion programs. The program promises to close this gap by equipping employees with the tools they need to manage stress, anxiety and other common mental health issues in the workplace. The research was published in PLOS mental health.

Mental health problems

It is estimated that 15% of working adults worldwide struggle with mental health problems, costing approximately $1 trillion and 12 billion workdays annually. Mental health burdens appear even higher in low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs), where 75% of the world’s working population lives. In LAMICs like Uganda, mental health issues often go untreated due to a lack of resources, and according to the research, an estimated 68% of Ugandan workers experience some form of mental health issues.

Despite this, over 78% of Ugandan employers do not provide formal mental health support. This gap in services is exacerbated by the stigma associated with mental health in Ugandan society, which prevents many workers from seeking help. The research highlights that workers are often left to cope with stress, anxiety and other mental health issues without the right support, negatively impacting their productivity and quality of life.

A culturally sensitive approach to promoting mental health at work

Acceptance and Commitment Training for the Workplace (ACT-W) was originally developed at City St George’s and tested in high-income countries such as the UK. This training is widely used within the UK National Health Service (NHS) to help improve the mental health of healthcare staff.

The training cultivates psychological flexibility, which refers to the willingness to experience internal states that may arise in the pursuit of personally valued actions and goals. The program helps employees become much more aware of the everyday actions that have personal meaning, and learn how to participate in these actions even when they experience difficult thoughts and emotions.

Although ACT-W has been a great success in high-income countries, the research team realized that Uganda’s cultural and economic context required adjustments to make the program relevant to the workforce. For example, in Uganda, shared values ​​are of great importance, so the training had to emphasize group well-being, rather than focusing solely on individual goals.

To address this, the researchers contacted 14 mental health providers living and working in Kampala, Uganda, and the program content was adapted to include more references to community-based values. The language and metaphors used in the training have also been adapted to better reflect Ugandan culture, which often views mental health through a lens of spirituality and traditional beliefs.

Reducing mental health stigma

One of the key challenges highlighted in the research is the stigma surrounding mental health care in Uganda. As a result, many Ugandans are reluctant to talk openly about their mental health, especially in the workplace.

To address this, the ACT-W program includes elements of mental health awareness and education. The aim is to reduce stigma by showing that mental health can be improved through learning psychological and behavioral skills.

Benefits for Ugandan workers and employers

The potential benefits of ACT-W for Ugandan workers are significant. The program teaches employees how to skillfully manage their emotions and keep personal values ​​in mind, even in difficult circumstances. This could lead to better mental well-being, greater job satisfaction and higher productivity.

For employers, the benefits are clear. Healthier, more resilient employees are likely to perform better, take fewer sick days and contribute to a more positive work atmosphere. In a country where mental health care is currently lacking, programs like ACT-W could be a cost-effective way to improve employee well-being and therefore business results.

Dr. Khamisi Musanje, lead researcher from Makerere University, said: “Improving mental health in the workplace is not just about individual well-being, but also about creating a healthier, more productive workforce for Uganda’s future.”

Dr. Paul Flaxman, co-researcher and reader in the Department of Psychology at City St George’s, said: “The findings from this study are exciting as they demonstrate that evidence-based mental health training programmes, such as ACT-W, can be adapted to suit diverse audiences. cultural contexts. Our hope is that ACT-W will increase Ugandan workers’ access to the kind of training that has proven popular and effective among workers here in Britain.”

The next phase of the project involves rolling out the modified ACT-W program in Ugandan workplaces and evaluating its effectiveness. If successful, it could become a model for other under-resourced settings looking to improve mental health in the workplace.

Presented by City St George’s, University of London