IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0346037.html

A Study Protocol: Engagement of Lived Experience Voices for Analysis of Transformative Evidence in Mental Health Policy & Legislation (ELEVATE-MH)

Author

Listed:
  • Kalo C Sokoto
  • Tina W Masai
  • Sisikelelwe S Gwanya-Mdletye
  • Olindah Silaule
  • S’thembile Phindile Promise Jili
  • Selamawit A Tessema
  • Mohhadiah Rafique
  • Ghonda Lepkeh
  • Action Amos
  • Kimberly Kariuki
  • Yiknashewa Solomon
  • Senait Ghebrehiwet
  • Sarah E Valentine
  • David C Henderson
  • Benjamin Harris
  • Chiliza Bonginkosi
  • Martyn Pickersgill
  • Lucinda Manda-Taylor

Abstract

Mental health conditions affect almost one in seven people globally. In response to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), efforts to strengthen mental health systems have included increased funding, destigmatization of mental health, and the engagement of People with Lived Experience (PWLE) in decision making. Yet the extent to which PWLE are engaged in mental health policy development is not well characterized in the literature. To that end, this study seeks to understand the engagement of PWLE in mental health policy making in Africa and identify strategies for enhancing meaningful engagement of PWLE. The study described in this protocol will employ a qualitative multi-methods approach, utilizing the Policy Triangle Framework to analyze the policy making process, and International Association for Public Participation Spectrum to identify the extent of PWLE engagement. We will perform a scoping review of national mental health policies and legislation. We will interview 50 key informants including mental health policymakers, advocates, and researchers, and conduct focus group discussions with 120 PWLE. Qualitative data will be subject to content and thematic analysis. Country-specific analyses will be followed by a cross-country synthesis. Findings will inform context specific and strategies to enhance meaningful engagement of PWLE in mental health policy making. These will be disseminated through stakeholder workshops in each country, academic publications, conferences, PWLE-led knowledge translation activities, and policy briefs co-authored with community advocates.

Suggested Citation

  • Kalo C Sokoto & Tina W Masai & Sisikelelwe S Gwanya-Mdletye & Olindah Silaule & S’thembile Phindile Promise Jili & Selamawit A Tessema & Mohhadiah Rafique & Ghonda Lepkeh & Action Amos & Kimberly Kari, 2026. "A Study Protocol: Engagement of Lived Experience Voices for Analysis of Transformative Evidence in Mental Health Policy & Legislation (ELEVATE-MH)," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 21(4), pages 1-12, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0346037
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0346037
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0346037
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0346037&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0346037?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hennink, Monique & Kaiser, Bonnie N., 2022. "Sample sizes for saturation in qualitative research: A systematic review of empirical tests," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Gülüm Özer & İdil Işık & Jordi Escartín, 2024. "Is There Somebody Looking out for Me? A Qualitative Analysis of Bullying Experiences of Individuals Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(2), pages 1-22, January.
    2. Rosemarie Rivera & Clair Joy B. Molina & Joannah Loi L. Birao & Misaki B. Uchida & Felmark S. Levara, MPA, 2026. "Addressing Malnutrition: A Qualitative Study on the Supplemental Feeding Program in Tagum City, Davao Del Norte," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 10(6), pages 4001-4024, June.
    3. Ruth Bhekekile Shandu & Thokozani Ian Nzimakwe & Reward Utete, 2024. "Analysing the effects of flexible working conditions in the workplace: An exploratory study," International Journal of Business Ecosystem & Strategy (2687-2293), Bussecon International Academy, vol. 6(6), pages 109-120, December.
    4. Mlamli Diko, 2023. "Advancing agriculture through Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) in South African indigenous or black communities," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 12(2), pages 267-277, March.
    5. Júlio Belo Fernandes & Diana Vareta & Sónia Fernandes & Ana Silva Almeida & Dina Peças & Noélia Ferreira & Liliana Roldão, 2022. "Rehabilitation Workforce Challenges to Implement Person-Centered Care," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-9, March.
    6. Chikako Ishizuka & Kei Aoki, 2024. "Drivers of sustained brand engagement: cases of long-term customers of hedonic and utilitarian brands in Japan," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(4), pages 979-989, December.
    7. Bacalla, Beverly & Orbeta, Jessa Christa N & Pusta, Jocemae F. & Galleto, Romalie Fullo, MSDeA, 2026. "Collaborative Governance Between Local Government Units (LGUs) and People’s Organizations in Panabo City," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 10(5), pages 12566-12579, May.
    8. Soo-Young Yu & Eunyoung E. Suh & Seongmi Lim & Ji-yeon Kim, 2024. "An Exploratory Study of Ideal Medical Systems Based on the Experiences of Laypeople in South Korea," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(4), pages 21582440241, December.
    9. Duarte Alonso, Abel & Vu, Oanh Thi Kim & Nguyen, Trung Q. & McClelland, Robert & Nguyen, Ngan M. & Huynh, Hoa Thi Ngoc & Akbari, Mohammadreza & Nguyen, Trung Thanh, 2025. "Beyond technology: A socio-technical lens on Industry 4.0 value-adding across industries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    10. Joseph M. Buguis & Reynaldo Castro, 2025. "Construct Development and Validation of Service Quality in the Context of Private Hospitals," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(7), pages 6053-6077, July.
    11. Daniel Muir & Cristiana Orlando & Becci Newton, 2024. "Impact of summer programmes on the outcomes of disadvantaged or ‘at risk’ young people: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(2), June.
    12. Dudka, Aurore, 2025. "A relational approach to prosuming through energy communities: The case of CIREN in France," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    13. repec:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:i:10:p:507-520 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. George Valiotis & Sandra C. Buttigieg & Americo Cicchetti & Rui Dang & Nabil Jamshed & Marija Jevtic & Teresa Magalhães & Henk Nies & Mangfred Pferzinger & Rui Santana & Tiago Correia & Emmi Weller & , 2025. "Defining Health Management: A Conceptual Foundation for Excellence Through Efficiency, Sustainability and Equity," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(3), pages 788-793, May.
    15. Reem Mohamed Gouda & Yasser Tawfik Halim, 2025. "The role of sustainable social media content in enhancing customer loyalty in the hospitality industry," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 1-26, December.
    16. Gawon Yun & Douglas N. Hales, 2026. "Drivers of location advantages in the medical device industry: a qualitative study," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 1-17, March.
    17. Immas Nurhayati & Syarifah Gustiawati & Rofiáh Rofiáh & Sri Pujiastuti & Isbandriyati Mutmainah & Bambang Hengky Rainanto & Sri Harini & Endri Endri, 2025. "Community-Based Halal Tourism and Information Digitalization: Sustainable Tourism Analysis," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-23, August.
    18. repec:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:i:10:p:1949-1961 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Nafew Sajed Joy & Md. Mahfuzur Rahman, 2025. "Exploring Sustainable Publishing Practices in the Publishing Industry of Bangladesh: A Qualitative Study in the Context of the Fifth Industrial Revolution," Journal of Developing Societies, , vol. 41(3), pages 406-436, September.
    20. Niccolò Morelli, 2025. "Beyond the Rhetoric of Revanchism Towards the Metropolitan Core: An Analysis of Symbolic Representations of Milan From Its Peripheries," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 30(1), pages 116-135, March.
    21. Maria Provenzano & Nicola Cillara & Felice Curcio & Maria Orsola Pisu & Cesar Iván Avilés González & Maria Francisca Jiménez-Herrera, 2024. "Electronic Health Record Adoption and Its Effects on Healthcare Staff: A Qualitative Study of Well-Being and Workplace Stress," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(11), pages 1-14, October.
    22. Beyeler, Laura & Jaeger-Erben, Melanie, 2025. "Sufficiency as a matter of care: Practices to provide for needs," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0346037. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.