Impact of School-Based Mental Health Programs in Reducing Adolescent Depressive Disorder in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Qualitative Systematic Literature Review

Aim: This study aimed to examine the impact of school-based interventions on depressive disorder in adolescents living in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Adolescents living in SSA are even more vulnerable due to cultural misunderstanding and superstition associated with the condition, deprivation and poverty, increased burden of disease, and exposure to traumatic events such as bereavement, violence, and child abuse. The inadequacies of the local health infrastructure also undermine the population’s mental health. The weaknesses of the regional health infrastructure also undermine the population’s mental health. Methodology: This study adopted a qualitative systematic review approach based on secondary data and thematic analysis to analyse the qualitative data collected. Results: Eleven studies were included in the sample, which represented six countries: Kenya (4), Nigeria (3), Burundi (1), Uganda (1), South Africa (1), and Rwanda (1). These findings reiterate the need for more studies exploring mental health treatments and interventions in SSA. All the studies reported improvements in the mental health outcomes of participants, and only one study recommended avoiding school-based interventions for depressive disorders linked to bereavement. Interventions were effective in increasing reach and providing resources for task shifting. Many researchers have used teachers and other adolescents as lay providers, adapted interventions to the local context, and praised the efficiency of brief interventions.