International Mental Health

Unit Code

01482

Department/Institution Offering Unit

Centre for International Mental Health
School of Population Health
University of Melbourne
Level 5, 207 Bouverie St
Carlton
Victoria 3053 Australia

web: www.cimh.unimelb.edu.au

Unit Points

Research Points: 87.5

Coursework Points: 12.5

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Contacts

Unit Coordinator/s:

Assoc Prof Harry Minas
Centre for International Mental Health
School of Population Health
University of Melbourne
Level 5, 207 Bouverie Street
Victoria 3053 Australia

tel: +61 3 8344 9104
email:h.minas@unimelb.edu.au

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Overall Objectives

The objectives of this unit are to provide an opportunity for students to learn methods in mental health systems research (which are transferable to health systems research generally) and to make a contribution to research that will assist in developing mental health systems that are effective and equitable. The focus of the Centre for International Mental Health is on contributing to mental health system development in low-income and post-conflict societies. This is through education (for example the Master of International Mental Health) and through building capacity for mental health systems research. The vehicle for this capacity building exercise is the International Mental Health Leadership Program, which is run jointly with the Department of Social Medicine, Harvard medical School. There are now 45 former Fellows of the program working throughout Asia who can supervise the local field work of AMS students. Students would have the opportunity, through supervised research, to contribute to exciting, pathbreaking health development work in places where this work is desperately needed.

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Content

Coursework: Intermediate Epidemiology and Biostatistics or Qualitative Health Research, depending on the project undertaken.

Research: Students will be involved in existing collaborative research projects that are being undertaken by CIMH academic staff with colleagues in countries in Asia and Eastern Europe. The general area of research is mentalhealth systems research, work that will contribute to the development of effective and equitable mental health services and reform of currently inadequate mental health systems.
Students may undertake a research project in Melbourne. Students who undertake a research project in one of the overseas sites will be supervised by academic staff in the centre for International Mental Health and by a senior colleague and research collaborator in the country in which the work is being primarily done. Please note that students who chose to work overseas will be responsible for all of the costs of travel, accommodation, living expenses, health insurance, etc. The Centre for International Mental Health cannot contribute to meeting these costs. Students can expect to spend 3 months developing the research project and securing ethics committee approval, approximately 4-6 months doing field work, and the remainder of the year analysing data and writing the project report.

Sample Research Topics:

1. Investigation of mental health and behavioural problems among primary school children in Hanoi, Vietnam.
2. A multi-country study of stigmatising attitudes to and beliefs about mental illness among health workers. This study has field sites in the Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.
3. A study of prevalence of mental illness in primary care settings in Cambodia.
4. The establishment and evaluation of community mental health services in Eastern Europe. Field sites in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, and Serbia and Montenegro.
5. Depression among people with diabetes. Field sites in Melbourne, Khon Kaen Thailand, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, Phom Penh Cambodia.
6. Continuing development and evaluation of curriculum for the International Mental Health Leadership Program.
7. Development and evaluation of newmedia teaching materials for the International Mental Health Leadership Program.

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Assessment Breakdown

Research Component: 87.5 points
Research Report (up to 8,000 words): 85%
Supervisor's Evaluation: 15%

Coursework Component: 12.5 points
Intermediate Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Qualitative Health Research will be assessed as per subject descriptions.

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Student Numbers

Number of places available:
15