A Rapid Review of the Roles of Community Rehabilitation Workers in Community-based Mental Health Services in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Zarina Syed; Monique De Bastos; Chuma Pindela; Skye Sutherland; Samantha Melis; Brittany Wort; Tashia Shohsa

doi:10.47985/dcidj.537

Zarina Syed ⁽¹⁾, Monique De Bastos ⁽²⁾, Chuma Pindela ⁽³⁾, Skye Sutherland ⁽⁴⁾, Samantha Melis ⁽⁵⁾, Brittany Wort ⁽⁶⁾, Tashia Shohsa ⁽⁷⁾

(1) University of Cape Town, South Africa,

(2) University of Cape Town, South Africa,

(3) University of Cape Town, South Africa,

(4) University of Cape Town, South Africa,

(5) University of Cape Town, South Africa,

(6) University of Cape Town, South Africa,

(7) University of Cape Town, South Africa

https://doi.org/10.47985/dcidj.537

Issue
Vol. 33 No. 2: (Summer) - 2022

Submitted
October 12, 2021

Published
August 5, 2022

Keywords:

Community rehabilitation workers, mental health services, roles, community-based, low- and middle-income countries

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Abstract

Purpose: The term Community Rehabilitation Worker (CRW) encompasses a group of mid-level health workers introduced within healthcare systems to increase accessibility to health- care services for individuals within the community sphere. This study aimed to summarise the current knowledge on the role of community rehabilitation workers in community-based mental health services in low- and middle- income countries.

Method: Between the 10th and 17^th of July, 2020, searches were conducted on the following databases: Cochrane, EbscoHost, Primo, and Pubmed. The search strategy identified 521 individual records, 4 of which were included in this review: 2 qualitative descriptive studies, 1 quantitative descriptive study and 1 conceptual study.

Results: Across the 4 studies, eight roles of community rehabilitation workers were identified in relation to mental health services: home visits, client illness management, referral, documentation and administration, client and family education, community education, intersectoral collaboration and mediation. There was no data found on the role of community rehabilitation workers in mental health services in low- and middle- income countries specifically, indicating a gap in research.

Conclusion: There is a need to improve knowledge and understanding of the roles and responsibilities of community rehabilitation workers where mental health service provision is concerned. The data summarised in this review could be utilised to educate health professionals regarding the role of community rehabilitation workers.

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Authors

Zarina Syed

University of Cape Town

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5849-9524

zari.syed@uct.ac.za (Primary Contact)

Monique De Bastos

University of Cape Town

Chuma Pindela

University of Cape Town

Skye Sutherland

University of Cape Town

Samantha Melis

University of Cape Town

Brittany Wort

University of Cape Town

Tashia Shohsa

University of Cape Town

Author Biographies

Zarina Syed, University of Cape Town

Zarina Syed has been involved in student education for the past 10 years. Her role includes clinical supervision of students, teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as, supervision of research. Her postgraduate studies reflect her interest in the mental health sphere.

Monique De Bastos, University of Cape Town

Monique is a Community Service Occupational Therapist

Chuma Pindela, University of Cape Town

Chuma is based in South Africa and works as a Community Service Occupational Therapist

Skye Sutherland, University of Cape Town

Skye is a Community Service Occupational Therapist

Samantha Melis, University of Cape Town

Community Service Occupational Therapist

Brittany Wort, University of Cape Town

Community Service Occupational Therapist

Tashia Shohsa, University of Cape Town

Community Service Occupational Therapist

1.

Syed Z, De Bastos M, Pindela C, Sutherland S, Melis S, Wort B, Shohsa T. A Rapid Review of the Roles of Community Rehabilitation Workers in Community-based Mental Health Services in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. DCIDJ [Internet]. 2022 Aug. 5 [cited 2025 Mar. 13];33(2):108-2. Available from: https://dcidj.uog.edu.et/index.php/up-j-dcbrid/article/view/537

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