Qualitative and Visual Mental Health Research in Ghana and Indonesia

Mental health and suicide research from low- and middle-income countries, particularly using qualitative methods, is under-represented in research publications. Our project aims to address this by supporting the publication of qualitative research papers on mental health from Ghana and Indonesia. Qualitative methods, including arts-based, visual and participatory methods and ethnography, are increasingly recognised as essential to ensure interventions are relevant to different contexts and respond to community needs. Qualitative methods are also valuable to understand how interventions work for different people in different contexts. We will hold two in-person workshops, webinars, training activities and mentoring by the co-applicants and researchers and editors with expertise in global mental health and in the two country contexts. We will focus on developing the publication and grants-writing skills of early career researchers from Ghana and Indonesia, including researchers with lived experience of mental illness and women, while also developing mutual learning, partnerships and peer-support.

Workshop team: Dr Erminia Colucci, Middlesex University; Dr Diana Setiyawati, Gadjah Mada University; Dr Ursula Read, University of Warwick; Dr Lily Kpobi, University of Ghana; Professor Leslie Swartz, Stellenbosch University and Academy of Science of South Africa.