Evaluation of a brief training on mental health and psychosocial support in emergencies: A pre- and post-assessment in Nepal

Introduction: A principal strategy for the integration of mental health and psychosocial support in emergency settings is the training of front-line workers in international consensus-based guidelines. Aim This paper presents a pilot study evaluating changes in knowledge and understanding as a result of a brief training course in Nepal. Method Evaluation questionnaires were distributed to participants in two-day courses (n = 109) before, directly after, and at two months following completion. Results: The course resulted in a post-training increase in correct answers of 21%, which further increased to 25% at two months. Conclusion A short training course based on widely endorsed guidelines to front-line staff can significantly increase mental health literacy for complex emergencies. While promising, the trend of knowledge gain is modest at most, and suggests a need for more intensive or more targeted training courses. © 2012 Copyright World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine.