SynthesisThe Pan African medical journal2017
A systematic review of physical activity policy recommendations and interventions for people with mental health problems in Sub-Saharan African countries.
Synthesis in The Pan African medical journal, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Impact of exercise training on symptoms of depression, physical activity level and social participation in people living with HIV/AIDS: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC infectious diseases · 2022Pooled it
- Physical Activity Interventions for Mental Health Among Youth in South Africa: A Scoping Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Article
- The efficacy, mechanisms and implementation of physical activity as an adjunctive treatment in mental disorders: a meta-review of outcomes, neurobiology and key determinants.World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) · 2025Article
- Physical activity and sedentary behavior levels among individuals with mental illness: A cross-sectional study from 23 countries.PloS one · 2024Article
- South African mental healthcare providers' views about exercise for people with mental illness.The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa · 2024Article
- Translation of the mental health literacy questionnaire for young adults into Chichewa for use in Malawi: preliminary validation and reliability results.International journal of mental health systems · 2023Article
- Psychosocial rehabilitation of individuals with schizophrenia: a scoping review protocol.Systematic reviews · 2022Article
- Test-retest reliability and correlates of the Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire in Ugandan out-patients with psychosis.African health sciences · 2020Article
- A quantitative assessment of the views of mental health professionals on exercise for people with mental illness: perspectives from a low-resource setting.African health sciences · 2019Article
- Sedentary Behavior and Quality of Life in People with Psychotic Disorders from a Low Income Country: A Study from Uganda.Community mental health journal · 2019Article
- Sedentary behavior and physical activity levels in people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder: a global systematic review and meta-analysis.World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) · 2017Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThere is a need for interventions to address the escalating mental health burden in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Implementation of physical activity (PA) within the rehabilitation of people with mental health problems (PMHP) could reduce the burden and facilitate recovery. The objective of the current review was to explore (1) the role of PA within mental health policies of SSA countries, and (2) the current research evidence for PA to improve mental health in SSA.
methodsWe screened the Mental Health Atlas and MiNDbank for mental health policies in SSA countries and searched PubMed for relevant studies on PA in PMHP in SSA.
resultsSixty-nine percent (=33/48) of SSA countries have a dedicated mental health policy. Two of 22 screened mental health policies included broad physical activity recommendations. There is clear evidence for the role of PA in the prevention and rehabilitation of depression in SSA.
conclusionDespite the existing evidence, PA is largely a neglected rehabilitation modality in the mental health care systems of SSA. Continued education of existing staff, training of specialized professionals and integration of PA for mental health in public health awareness programs are needed to initiate and improve PA programs within the mental health care systems of SSA.
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