Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42027606›Full record

ReviewThe Lancet regional health. Western Pacific2026

Mental health systems in Pacific island countries and territories: a scoping review of current evidence.

Jialing Lin, Xinrui Wei, Peixin Han, Tinghsuan Hsu, Jiaying Sun, Carey Marr, Rong Liu, Rohina Joshi, Minh Cuong Duong, Odille Chang and 5 more

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

15 authors.

Jialing LinInternational Centre for Future Health Systems, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Xinrui WeiInternational Centre for Future Health Systems, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Peixin HanFaculty of Science and Technology, Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
Tinghsuan HsuGlobal Business School for Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Jiaying SunUniversity of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Carey MarrDiscipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Rong LiuCentre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology - Public Health, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.
Rohina JoshiSchool of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Minh Cuong DuongSchool of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Odille ChangFiji National University, Suva, Fiji.
Xiwen QinDepartment of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Jinfeng DingSchool of Global and Population Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
Christine Y LuSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia.
Patricia M DavidsonInternational Centre for Future Health Systems, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Michael KiddInternational Centre for Future Health Systems, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Mental health systems are a critical component of health system performance in Pacific island countries and territories (PICTs), yet evidence remains uneven across settings. This scoping review mapped available evidence on mental health system performance in each PICT using the WHO Health System Building Blocks framework. We searched nine peer-reviewed databases and 13 grey literature sources (2015-2025). Of the 23,574 records identified, 91 studies were included, covering most PICTs. Most studies covered service delivery (n = 84), governance (n = 81), and workforce (n = 79). Findings revealed that systems remain predominantly hospital-centred with severe workforce shortages, limited financing, weak information systems, and fragile access to essential medicines. Although most PICTs have mental health policies, implementation capacity is constrained and fragmented. Some community-based and culturally embedded models exist, but are often poorly integrated into formal systems. Strengthening mental health systems in PICTs requires country-specific, system-wide reforms to address persistent inequities and enhance resilience against climate-related emergencies.

Indexed as

Health system performanceLeadershipMental health systemsPacific island countries and territoriesScoping reviewService deliveryWorkforce

Identifiers

PMID42027606
PMCPMC13101603

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.