Peer-reviewed article
Child Mental Health in HIV-Impacted Low-Resource Settings in Developing Countries-Global Research Fellowship: A Research Training Program Protocol
Fred M. Ssewamala, Ozge Sensoy Bahar, Noeline Nakasujja, Betsy Abente, Proscovia Nabunya et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This document describes a research training program called CHILD-GRF designed to build capacity in child and adolescent mental health research in Uganda, where HIV/AIDS prevalence is high and mental health services are limited. The program trains early-career investigators over three years through mentorship, intensive summer training, and support for conducting pilot studies. The goal is to develop a sustainable network of researchers who can design and implement evidence-based interventions for youth and families affected by HIV/AIDS.
Key points
- Uganda has high HIV/AIDS rates and poor mental health services, with children and adolescents facing mental health problems due to poverty, disease, and violence
- The program trains three cohorts of early-career investigators from Ugandan universities and research institutions over 3 years
- Fellows are paired with mentors from Washington University and Ugandan institutions and participate in 6-week intensive summer training annually
- Year 1 focuses on didactic learning and mentorship, Year 2 on designing and conducting pilot studies, and Year 3 on disseminating findings and grant writing
- The program aims to create a sustainable network of well-trained researchers to improve child and adolescent mental health and HIV prevention efforts
Limitations
This is a program protocol document describing planned activities rather than results, so it provides no evidence of program effectiveness or outcomes. The document does not report on the actual implementation, participant outcomes, or the success of the mentorship and training model.
Abstract
Background:Uganda has one of the highest HIV/AIDS rates and poor mental health services. Children and adolescents in communities with persistent poverty, disease (including HIV/AIDS), and violence, are more likely to suffer from chronic mental health problems. Combined, these characteristics negatively impact communities' response to HIV and mental health beginning with children, adolescents, and young adults. Yet, there is limited research capacity in child and adolescent mental health (CAMH), especially in the HIV/AIDS context in Uganda. Hence, this NIH-funded research training program aims to: (1) train three cohorts of early-career investigators at universities or research institutions in Uganda; (2) connect fellows with committed mentors; and (3) define key factors for successful mentorship and training of new investigators. Methods:CHILD-GRF is a multi-component program that engages selected young investigators in year-round activities for 3 years. Paired with mentors from Washington University in St. Louis and academic institutions in Uganda, fellows participate in a 6-week intensive summer training each year. Year 1 focuses on didactic learning and mentorship. In Year 2, fellows design and conduct their pilot study. Year 3 is devoted to presenting pilot study findings, manuscript preparation/ submission and extramural grant writing. Discussion:CHILD-GRF seeks to provide a solid foundation for the development and implementation of evidence-based HIV prevention and mental health interventions for youth and families impacted by HIV/AIDS. By producing a sustainable network of well-trained individuals in key research institutions, this program contributes to improving CAMH and HIV prevention efforts, both of which have public health implications.