Evaluating the Effects of Mental Health e-Learning on the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Primary Healthcare Professionals in Mali. A Pilot Study

BackgroundDespite their high prevalence and significant burden, mental disorders remain grossly under-diagnosed and under-treated. In low-and-middle-income countries, such as Mali, integrating mental health services into primary care is the most viable way of closing the treatment gap. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a mental health e-learning program on the knowledge, attitudes and practices of primary healthcare professionals in Mali.MethodsAn e-learning platform including 12 interactive modules was used to train 46 healthcare professionals. Changes in knowledge, attitudes and practices, as well as in satisfaction with knowledge and in ability to diagnose and manage patients were evaluated by comparing data collected pre and post e-learning.OutcomesKnowledge and practices scores increased significantly post e-learning for all modules, except the practices score for anxiety disorders. Similarly, scores regarding satisfaction with knowledge and ability to diagnose and manage patients increased significantly, and more so than the knowledge and practices scores. Changes in attitudes however were not significant.ConclusionDespite the difficult conditions of implementation in isolated areas of rural Mali, preliminary results suggest a positive effect of the e-learning.