Panos Vostanis

Abstract

Children in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), particularly those living in disadvantaged and conflict-ridden communities, are faced with extensive unmet health and social care needs (UNICEF, 2016). A substantial body of research has also provided evidence specifically relating to children’s mental health, thereby increasing our understanding regarding the impact of cumulative and interlinked risk factors such as war, conflict and displacement, natural disasters, poverty, child labour and other forms of exploitation. Attempts to improve children’s mental health in LMICs is, however, constrained by a range of factors including stigma relating to mental illness, limited policy input as reflected by the low level of specialist resources, lack of contextualised evidence regarding culturally appropriate psychosocial interventions (Patel & Rahman, 2015), and underrepresentation of LMICs in the research literature (Helal, Ahmed, & Vostanis, 2011).

Panos Vostanis talks about what’s in this issue.