B. ASSAf Workshop Proceedings and Other Reports

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Proceedings Reports are a verbatim reflection of a live ASSAf event. It is published with consent of all speakers.

Peer-Review Status: Non-Peer Reviewed

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Advancing multisectoral and life-course approaches in mental health research
(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf); Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS), 2023) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf); Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS)
Although there is some evidence of increasing investment, mental health services are a neglected aspect of healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa.* However, the COVID-19 pandemic – and control measures associated with it – has shone the spotlight on mental health challenges and their human, social and economic costs. The impact of the pandemic has highlighted the importance of the biopsychosocial model of mental health, which recognises that mental wellbeing is affected by the interplay between ‘internal’ biological and psychological factors and ‘external’ social, political, and environmental influences. For the latter, the social determinants of mental health concept highlights how a wide range of external factors across several domains have a critical impact on mental wellbeing. Interventions targeting social determinants or structural factors have the advantage of potentially delivering benefits to large numbers for prolonged periods. In November 2022, the UK Academy of Medical Sciences and the Academy of Sciences of South Africa jointly organised a workshop to explore ways to advance multisectoral and life-course approaches in mental health research in sub-Saharan Africa. In breakout groups, workshop participants discussed successful examples of mental health research in sub-Saharan Africa, similarities and differences across countries, and how greater collaboration could advance multisectoral and life-course approaches to mental health research. These discussions highlighted a range of key themes: • Strengthening and diversifying data sources: Participants suggested that, in some settings, additional data are needed on disease burdens, priority populations and social determinants of mental health which could be used to support advocacy, target action and guide the development of new interventions. As well as epidemiological data, long-term longitudinal data could provide insights into pathways to mental health impact and identify potential points of intervention. • Developing consistent, locally defined, standardised and appropriate metrics for valued outcomes: Delegates stressed the importance of consistency in approaches across studies, and use of contextually validated and standardised measures, to ensure quality and facilitate comparisons and data pooling. These measures need to be culturally relevant and meaningful to people with lived experience, capturing broader social and economic outcomes alongside clinical improvement. It is also important to capture qualitative as well as quantitative inputs through these metrics. To promote a life-course perspective, measures need to be suitable for use beyond the traditional focus on working-age adults. • Promoting translational development: The need for additional research across the translational spectrum was highlighted, including more evaluation of ‘grass-roots’ initiatives, additional confirmatory and larger-scale studies following promising pilot studies, and implementation/operational research to accelerate introduction and scale-up of evidence-based policies and interventions. It was argued that interventions should prioritise integration with existing health system and community platforms, and adopt people-centred approaches. • Strengthening partnerships to achieve the above: Participants identified interdisciplinary and multisectoral collaborations as critical to progress, potentially supported by an integrated conceptual framework to facilitate cross-sectoral interdisciplinary research programmes and intervention development. Strengthened collaboration within the region and internationally, through equitable international partnerships with a commitment to capacity-building, was seen as fundamental. Participants also stressed the need for a systems-based approach and engagement with all relevant actors, including members of the public, the informal health sector (such as traditional and faith healers) and the private sector where appropriate. • Building relationships with people with lived experience to ensure input at all stages: Delegates highlighted the critical importance of engaging with people with lived experience, to provide opportunities for meaningful inputs at all stages of research, including prioritisation of research questions and co-creation and delivery of interventions. • Optimising the mental healthcare workforce: Strengthening and building workforce capacity in mental health were seen as high priorities. Mental health specialists are few in number in the region and further research on strategies such as task-shifting, and scaling up of proven task-shifting interventions, could help to address large treatment gaps. Participants also suggested that there is a need to promote skills development to support greater service and multi-sectoral integration, task shifting, and mental health awareness across relevant sectors. • Supporting advocacy to promote the above: Delegates identified the need for the research community to engage with policymakers to understand their needs and provide evidence-based inputs, to leverage the mainstream media to translate messages for more general audiences, and to work with people with lived experience to achieve co-ordinated and more effective advocacy. By strengthening ties – within Africa and internationally – the mental health research community in the region will be better placed to share knowledge and experience, develop joint and multicentre studies, and raise the profile of mental health research among politicians and policymakers. In doing so, they can help to close the mental health care gap and build a field with the capacity to enhance mental health for all and at all stages of life.
National Scholarly Book Publishers’ Forum (NSBPF) Conference Proceedings Report
(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2023) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)
ASSAf’s Scholarly Publishing Programme (SPP) hosted its National Scholarly Book Publishers’ Forum (NSBPF) conference on 25 July 2022. Scholarly book publishers present the foundational research that is drawn upon by policymakers, journalists, authors and researchers across the globe. ASSAf’s NSBPF is a representative body of publishers dedicated to the promotion of the scholarly book publishing sector in South Africa. The conference aimed to raise awareness of the contribution made by South Africa’s scholarly publishing sector to its national research mission to promote an understanding of the rigour of its processes, and to create a better understanding of the need for resource allocation to ensure its ongoing survival.
Proceedings report of webinar on mental health and bullying
(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2022) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)
Bullying among adolescents has been identified as a significant public health concern. It is a life-changing experience that has drastically affected more than a third of adolescents in schools globally. There are important negative consequences to victims, perpetrators, schools, families and communities at large. Several studies have shown that victims of bullying are at increased odds of adverse outcomes including physical health problems, emotional and behavioural problems, and psychiatric disorders. At the mental health level, evidence has linked being a victim of bullying to higher rates of depression, insomnia, feelings of hopelessness, loneliness, low self-esteem, suicide ideation and suicide attempts8. Due to the potential mental health effects on everyone involved, it’s important to heed the warning signs of bullying and to highlight intervention and prevention strategies. This webinar sought to understand the impact of bullying on mental health, the mental health of those who experience and witness it and to identifying intervention and prevention strategies.
Priorities for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Research and Services in South Africa webinar
(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2022) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)
Children and adolescents under the age of 18 years comprise 34% of the population, and child and adolescent Mental, Neurological and Substance Use (MNS) disorders are common and an important cause of disability and distress. Providers at all levels should be competent to screen for and identify common childhood mental disorders, which usually present with developmental delay, emotional and/or behavioural symptoms and/or learning difficulties. Given the burden of disease, the fact that many mental disorders begin in childhood, and that early intervention is most effective in childhood and adolescence, it is essential that effective promotion, prevention, treatment, care and rehabilitation interventions should be provided for children and adolescents. In this webinar, hosted by the Academy of Science of South Africa, leading experts in child and adolescent mental health presented their priorities for child and adolescent mental health services and research in South Africa.
Copyright Amendment Bill Workshop Proceedings Report
(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2022) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)
The genesis of the Copyright Amendment Bill was in 2009, when the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) initiated various studies and impact assessments. In July 2015, the DTI published a Draft Copyright Amendment Bill for public comment. The final 2017 version of the Bill was approved by Parliament in 2019 and it was sent to President Cyril Ramaphosa for action in terms of Section 79(1) of the Constitution. Section 79(1) states that “The President must either assent to and sign a Bill passed in terms of this Chapter or, if the President has reservations about the constitutionality of the Bill, refer it back to the National Assembly for reconsideration”. The President referred the Bill back to Parliament for review on 16 June 2020, on constitutionality issues. In response to the President’s reservations, Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry has invited stakeholders and other interested parties to submit written submissions on certain sections of the Bill by no later than 9 July 2021. The current copyright law is outdated and does not address the digital environment. The Academy of Science of South Africa seeks to take into account the status of the copyright legislation and the anticipated effects of the amendment Bill on different issues and thereafter, provide recommendations to the President.
‘No paraffin! campaign’: national roundtable discussion webinar series
(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf); Department of Science and Innovation (DSI); University of South Africa (Unisa); North-West University (NWU); South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), 2021) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)
This series consisted of 3 webinars: Webinar 1: South Africa’s Inequalities in Risk: The Case for the No Paraffin! Campaign; Webinar 2: Lessons for South Africa: Successful Campaigns for Energy Migration; Webinar 3: Institutional Arrangements, Evidence and Policy Pathways to Safe Domestic Energy.
The Hidden Crisis: Mental Health on Times of Covid-19
(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2021) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf); Heyns, Christof; Jewkes, Rachel; Liebenberg, Sandra; Mbazira, Christopher
The COVID-19 pandemic is most notably a physical health crisis, but it strongly affects mental health as well. Social isolation, job and financial losses, uncertainty about the real impact of the crisis, and fear for physical well-being affect the mental health of many people worldwide. These stressors can increase emotional distress and lead to depression and anxiety disorders. At the same time, there are enormous challenges on the health care side. People in need of mental health support have been increasingly confronted with limitations and interruptions of mental health services in many countries. In May 2020, the United Nations already warned that the COVID-19 pandemic has the seeds of a major mental health crisis if action is not taken. The panel discussed and analysed mental health in times of the COVID-19 pandemic with reference to South Africa, Nigeria, Germany and Spain.
Social, Psychological and Health Impact of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) on the Elderly: South African and Italian Perspectives
(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2020) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)
The elderly population has been included in the vulnerable population to the mental health risks of COVID-19. This group in our society is confronted with high rates of pre-existing depressive symptoms and the challenges of accessing mental health services. The elderly population has been reported to be more susceptible, especially those with underlying diseases, to COVID-19 infection and severe illnesses. Recent studies have showed a higher mortality of elderly patients with COVID-19 to those of young and middle-aged patients. The panel discussion explored the challenges confronting the elderly in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Migration, Displacement and Mobility in Africa: Complex issues in current times
(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2020) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)
This report reflects the conference proceedings of the tenth Annual Young Scientists’ Conference which took place from 28 to 29 October 2019 at Future Africa, University of Pretoria, South Africa. The theme of the conference: ‘Migration, Displacement and Mobility in Africa: Complex issues in current times’ tied in with the African Union (AU) Year 2019 Theme: The Year of Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Towards durable solutions to forced displacement in Africa. The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) hosts this annual conference in partnership with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS).
Improving the prevention and management of multimorbidity in sub-Saharan Africa
(Academy of Medical Sciences (UK)/Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2020) Academy of Medical Sciences (UK); Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)
Having two or more long-term conditions at the same time, known as multimorbidity, is a growing challenge globally. This workshop focused on finding out what is known about the extent and nature of multimorbidity and appropriate responses to it, where further research would be valuable and highlighted that addressing multimorbidity in a range of sub-Saharan countries will be heavily dependent on local contextual factors. On 5–6 September 2019, researchers from across sub-Saharan Africa gathered in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, to discuss the specific challenges in addressing multimorbidity in the region and the role that research could play. In particular, the ways research could improve understanding of multimorbidity in sub-Saharan Africa and identify the most effective ways to prevent and treat it. The meeting was jointly organised by the Academy of Medical Sciences, UK, and the Academy of Science of South Africa. The meeting programme was developed by a steering committee chaired by Professor Alan Silman FMedSci, University of Oxford, UK, and Professor Karen Hofman MASSAf, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, and included researchers from multiple sub-Saharan African countries (Annex One). This report provides a summary of the key themes to emerge from the meeting, as well as a set of high-level multimorbidity research priorities for the region. It reflects the views expressed by participants at the meeting and does not necessarily represent the views of all participants, all members of the steering committee, the Academy of Medical Sciences, or the Academy of Science of South Africa.