Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37424447›Full record

ReviewBJPsych open2023

Afghan mental health and psychosocial well-being: thematic review of four decades of research and interventions.

Qais Alemi, Catherine Panter-Brick, Spozhmay Oriya, Mariam Ahmady, Abdul Qawi Alimi, Hafizullah Faiz, Nadia Hakim, Sayed A Sami Hashemi, Muhammad Amin Manaly, Roman Naseri and 20 more

Open access · goldAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in BJPsych open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 43 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
43citing papers in PubMed
21.0field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

43 citing papers in PubMed, 67 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Mental Health Assessments for Resettled Afghan Children and Adolescents.Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities · 2026
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  8. Exploring Afghan Refugees' Post-Resettlement Experiences in North America: A Scoping Review.The Canadian journal of nursing research = Revue canadienne de recherche en sciences infirmieres · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

30 authors at 19 institutions in 9 countries.

Qais AlemiSchool of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, California, USA.
Catherine Panter-BrickJackson Institute for Global Affairs and Department of Anthropology, Yale University, Connecticut, USA.
Spozhmay OriyaSchool of Education, Simon Fraser University, Canada.
Mariam AhmadyDepartment of Counselling, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Kabul University, Afghanistan.
Abdul Qawi AlimiWorld Health Organization, Kabul, Afghanistan.
Hafizullah FaizJalalabad Regional Management Office, Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, Jalalabad, Afghanistan.
Nadia HakimMigration Health Unit, International Organization for Migration, Kabul, Afghanistan.
Sayed A Sami HashemiChild Protection Section, UNICEF, Kabul, Afghanistan.
Muhammad Amin ManalyAction Against Hunger, Kabul, Afghanistan.
Roman NaseriMental Health and Psychosocial Support Unit, International Medical Corps, Kabul, Afghanistan.
Khesraw ParwizIndependent Public Health Expert, Kabul, Afghanistan.
Sayed Javid SadatMental Health and Peacebuilding Program, International Assistance Mission, Herat, Afghanistan.
Mohammad Zahid SharifiKabul Mental Health Hospital Support Project, HealthNet TPO, Kabul, Afghanistan.
Zalmai ShinwariMental Health and Psychosocial Support Unit, HealthNet TPO, Kabul, Afghanistan.
Sayed Jafar AhmadiDepartment of Psychology, Bard College, New York, USA.
Rohullah AminFaculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Helmut-Schmidt University, Germany.
Sayed AzimiIndependent Mental Health Specialist, Geneva, Switzerland.
Atal HewadDepartment of Ipso Academy and Quality Management, International Psychosocial Organisation, Konstanz, Germany.
Zeinab MusaviBehrawan Research and Psychology Services Organization, Kabul, Afghanistan.
Abdul Majeed SiddiqiHealthNet TPO, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Martha BraginSilberman School of Social Work, The City University of New York, New York, USA.
Wataru KashinoPrevention Treatment and Rehabilitation Section, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Vienna, Austria.
Michalis LavdasDepartment of Psychosocial Science, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Norway.
Kenneth E MillerFaculty of Education, University of British Columbia, Canada.
Inge MissmahlInternational Psychosocial Organisation, Konstanz, Germany.
Patricia A OmidianFocusing Initiatives International, Corvallis, Oregon, USA.
Jean-Francois TraniBrown School, Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9187-0946
Sarah Kate van der WaltMental Health and Psychosocial Support Unit, Première Urgence - Aide Médicale Internationale, Kabul, Afghanistan.
Derrick SiloveSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Australia.
Peter VentevogelPublic Health Section, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3567-8861
World Health Organization - Afghanistan · AFKabul Medical University · AFBard College · USCity University of New York · USCommunity Initiatives · USHealthNet TPO · NLHealth Protection and Research Organisation · AFHelmut Schmidt University · DEHerat University · AFKabul University · AFLoma Linda University · USOffice of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees · CHSimon Fraser University · CAUnited Nations Office on Drugs and Crime · ATUniversity of Bergen · NOUniversity of British Columbia · CAUNSW Sydney · AUWashington University in St. Louis · USYale University · US

Funding

World Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFour decades of war, political upheaval, economic deprivation and forced displacement have profoundly affected both in-country and refugee Afghan populations.

aimsWe reviewed literature on mental health and psychosocial well-being, to assess the current evidence and describe mental healthcare systems, including government programmes and community-based interventions.

methodIn 2022, we conducted a systematic search in Google Scholar, PTSDpubs, PubMed and PsycINFO, and a hand search of grey literature (

resultsMental health problems and psychological distress show higher risks for women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities and youth. Issues of suicidality and drug use are emerging problems that are understudied. Afghans use specific vocabulary to convey psychological distress, drawing on culturally relevant concepts of body-mind relationships. Coping strategies are largely embedded in one's faith and family. Over the past two decades, concerted efforts were made to integrate mental health into the nation's healthcare system, train cadres of psychosocial counsellors, and develop community-based psychosocial initiatives with the help of non-governmental organisations. A small but growing body of research is emerging around psychological interventions adapted to Afghan contexts and culture.

conclusionsWe make four recommendations to promote health equity and sustainable systems of care. Interventions must build cultural relevance, invest in community-based psychosocial support and evidence-based psychological interventions, maintain core mental health services at logical points of access and foster integrated systems of care.

Indexed as

Afghanistanconflict and warepidemiologyrefugeesTranscultural psychiatry

Identifiers

PMID37424447
PMCPMC10375890
OpenAlexW4383711170

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.