UTILIZING MATHEMATICAL MODELING TO TACKLE DEPRESSION &  RELATED MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AMONG ADOLESCENT  GIRLS & YOUNG WOMEN IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA 

BRANDED AS:

WOMEN DERIVE MATHEMATICAL MODELS FOR MENTAL HEALTH (WEALTH)

Introduction 

In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) face a stark mental health  crisis, with a threefold higher prevalence of clinical depression compared to their male counterparts.  Despite the severity of this issue, many low and middle-income countries (LMICs) allocate less than 2%  of their health budgets to mental health. Mathematical modelling offers a transformative approach to  address this challenge. By harnessing data to produce actionable insights, we can make precise forecasts  and support evidence-based policy decisions. This approach is crucial for predicting mental health  disorders and evaluating intervention strategies, ultimately guiding effective policy and resource  allocation. 

Call for Applications from Early to Mid-Career Researchers and Policy Makers 

The WEALTH project invites applications from Early to Mid-Career Researchers and Policy Makers  across Sub-Saharan Africa for an innovative online training program aimed at building capacity in mathematical modeling of depression and related mental health conditions among Adolescent Girls and  Young Women (AGYW). This capacity-building initiative aims to equip participants with essential  skills to develop data-driven interventions, influence policy and address mental health challenges. 

Why Enrol in This Programme? 

• This is an international collaborative initiative of members of faculty from the University of Ibadan, University of Warwick, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Federal University, Oye-Ekiti  (FUOYE) and Imperial College, London.  
• It features a multidisciplinary curriculum with courses in brain and mental health, mathematical  and statistical modelling, spatial modelling, epidemiology, and gender studies. 
• The programme is action-oriented with a focus on developing skills in statistical and mathematical  modelling of mental health as well as in knowledge translation to influence practice and policy.  • A blend of online lectures and one-on-one mentorship with world class experts from a range of  relevant disciplines.  
• The opportunity to work on a capstone research paper and policy brief as well as carry out policy  advocacy on a topic of your interest with support from programme faculty.  
• A yearly in-person conference to meet expert and budding mathematical modelers from all over  Africa.  
• On completion of this course, participants will walk away with the ability to : 
  • Critically evaluate statistical and mathematical models of depression and related mental health  conditions.
  • Develop and refine mathematical and statistical models of depression and related mental  health conditions.
  • Interpret and explain models to policymakers and non-modelers through written and oral  communication.
  • Advocate for evidence-based interventions and policy change to address mental health  issues specifically affecting AGYW in SSA.

Program Details: 

• Program Type: Online certificate course 
• Program Focus: Mathematical modeling for mental health, with a primary emphasis on  depression among AGYW in Sub-Saharan Africa. 
• Target Audience: Early to mid-career researchers and policymakers in public health, brain  health, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and gender studies. 
• Eligibility: Open to residents from Cameroon, Eritrea, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi,  Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. • Program Duration: 18 months of online training, with an average commitment of 40 hours  per month. 
• Format: Online Lectures and One-on-One Mentorship with a yearly in-person conference.  

Eligibility Criteria: 

• A university degree or higher in a related field (e.g. health sciences, epidemiology, statistics, social sciences, public policy etc.)
• Familiarity with survey research methods and analysis of nationally representative survey data • Ability to run and interpret descriptive statistics and an understanding of statistics and research terminology.
• Knowledge of at least one of the following data analysis software packages: STATA, SAS, SPSS, R
• Strong writing skills.
• Ability to devote an average of 40 hours/month to the course.
• Affiliation to a university, research institution or government organization based in Cameroon, Nigeria, Gambia, Ghana, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda. 
• Preference will be given to applicants from Consortium for Advanced Research Training in  Africa (CARTA) partner institutions and to graduates of the Centre for Child and Adolescent  Mental Health (CCAMH) 

Desirable Criteria: 

• Prior work in mental health, brain health, other non-communicable disease conditions, gender studies.

How to Apply: 

Submit your resume and a letter of application to: wealth4womeninafrica@gmail.com. Applicants will undergo a thorough selection process, and successful candidates will be awarded a full scholarship  for the program.