In Central Asia, investment in youth mental health research and practice remains limited despite widespread exposure of children and young people to social adversity, including poverty, marginalisation and violence. Evidence is needed to direct resources towards youth mental health and inform interventions.

This scoping review aimed to map existing research on the mental health needs and experiences of children and young people in Central Asia, to inform opportunities for further research, policy and practice.

Following Joanna Briggs Institute (2015) guidance, we searched five databases (Ovid Medline, PsychINFO, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science) and Google Scholar to retrieve peer-reviewed studies in English, with inclusion criteria applied.

Forty eligible studies published between 2013 and 2025 were identified, mostly based in Kazakhstan. Study populations included children and adolescents (aged 3–19 years), university students, participants across life stages and adults involved in young people’s care. Samples included general populations and groups with specific conditions or lived experiences. Research topics included the following: (a) anxiety and affective disorders; (b) suicide; (c) well-being and quality of life; (d) promoting mental health and resilience; (e) substance use; and (f) other mental health difficulties. Most studies employed quantitative cross-sectional designs, focusing on prevalence and risk and protective factors.

Studies included a range of populations, including children, adolescents, university students and caregivers, and topics including common mental health disorders, suicide and well-being. Nevertheless, more rigorous and contextually relevant research is needed to inform policies and interventions for children and young people in Central Asia.

Israel’s 2015 mental health reform transferred responsibility for mental health services from the government to community health maintenance organisations (HMOs), aiming to improve accessibility and equity and reduce stigma. However, its implications for different populations remain significantly underresearched.

To examine trends in mental health service utilisation and psychiatric medication issue rates among Arab and Ultra-Orthodox Jewish populations before and after the 2015 mental health reform.

A retrospective cohort study using data from Israel’s four HMOs (2012–2019), including all individuals with mental/behavioural disorder diagnosis, psychiatric medication or a community-based mental health service encounter (N = 2 847 184). Participants were classified as either general (non-Ultra-Orthodox Jewish), Ultra-Orthodox Jewish or Arab. The study analysed annual community visits to mental health professionals and dispensed psychiatric prescriptions.

Between 2012 and 2019 the number of mental health service users increased across all populations, most prominently among Ultra-Orthodox Jewish and Arab populations (1.94- and 1.91-fold, respectively), compared with 1.55-fold in the general population. Annual community visits increased 2.4-fold in the general population, 2.2-fold in the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish population and 3.7-fold among Arabs, who had the lowest baseline utilisation. Psychiatric medication issue rates increased most in the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish population (2.5-fold), compared with 1.7-fold in the Arab and 1.5-fold in the general population. Women consistently used more services than men, with the greatest relative increase among Arab women.

The findings suggest improved access to mental health services over the study period spanning the 2015 mental health reform, particularly in previously underserved populations. Continued progress requires culturally sensitive, community-tailored interventions for Arab and Ultra-Orthodox Jewish populations.

Psychiatric in-patient populations are heterogeneous. Severe and enduring psychiatric illness (SEPI) and trauma, stressor-related and substance use (TSRS) presentations differ clinically, but their service demands and mortality within one system are poorly characterised.

To characterise in-patient service use and mortality across clinical trajectories in one National Health Service general adult psychiatry (GAP) service.

Longitudinal cohort study of 5204 in-patient episodes (2016–2024) aggregated to 2665 patients classified as SEPI (schizophrenia spectrum, bipolar disorder, severe unipolar depression) or TSRS, the latter subdivided into borderline personality disorder (BPD) and non-psychotic mood, stress-related and substance-use presentations. Analyses used person-years, standardised mortality ratios (SMRs), survival analysis and years of life lost.

SEPI comprised 28.9% of patients but 69.3% of bed utilisation, with longer, recurrent admissions. TSRS presentations were brief and crisis-driven; BPD had the highest admission frequency with short stays. Cumulative mortality was 53% higher in SEPI than TSRS (13.5 v. 8.8%), but after adjustment for age and illness duration mortality was similar across groups (SMR 4.87). TSRS deaths occurred at younger ages, particularly in BPD, whereas SEPI deaths reflected common physical illnesses occurring far earlier than in the general population. Most deaths (98.5%) occurred outside in-patient settings.

GAP services accommodate two trajectories with contrasting demands but similarly high mortality (SMR 4.87): enduring, medically managed illness with high cumulative resource use, and episodic brief crisis presentations. Recognising this is essential for service design, since current models combine structurally distinct demands within a single system.

Healthcare can be a demanding career, and there is a rising interest in fostering the well-being of healthcare workers (HCWs).

To examine self-reported use of mental health and well-being support available to HCWs and explore predictors of use.

Data were collected by a longitudinal cohort study. The baseline survey was distributed from April 2020, followed by three surveys at 6 months (time 1; n = 10 514), 12 months (time 2; n = 10 429) and 32 months (time 3; n = 6382) post baseline. Use of mental health support (e.g. therapy) was assessed at each follow-up, and 96 supports were measured at time 1 only. Multilevel regression modelling was used to explore baseline predictors.

At time 1, we developed seven support categories. Practical supports (e.g. free or discounted food or parking) were the most commonly used (58%), whereas employee assistance programmes were least commonly used (5%). Furthermore, 21% of HCWs reported never using any support. Mental health support access varied: 23% of participants had used support before August 2021 (time 1), 17% between March 2020 and January 2022 (time 2), and 21% between February 2022 and May 2023 (time 3). HCWs who were male, older and/or of Asian ethnicity had lower odds of accessing support, whereas those who reported symptoms of common mental disorders at baseline had higher odds.

Most HCWs (79%) reported having accessed some support, whereas 21% had not. Practical and informal supports were most used, whereas uptake of employee assistance programmes was low. Future research should explore and address barriers faced by male, older, Asian and non-permanent staff to improve access and, in turn, the well-being, performance and patient care of these individuals.

Risk assessment and management are key elements of clinical practice in mental health. Existing literature on risk assessment in mental health has focused more on the predictive validity of tools and less on the clinical utility of tools in daily practice.

To explore risk assessment and management processes, and how clinicians use risk tools in daily practice, across a single health board.

This was a large mixed-methods study in a health authority responsible for the care of 1.3 million people covering a wide range of settings. Data collection involved multiple approaches including staff surveys, focus groups, non-participant observations of team meetings, case-file audits and reviews of incident reports.

Although risk was routinely discussed in team meetings, the risk tool was rarely used to inform decision-making. Barriers to meaningful use of the tool included time constraints, lack of training and perceived lack of relevance. Both staff and carers reported limited involvement of patients and families in risk assessment processes. Case-file audits showed high completion rates of the risk tool but little evidence that it influenced decision-making.

This study demonstrates a significant challenge for services, with clinical teams discussing risk but not using the mandated formulation-based risk tool to do so. This is set against the need for health authorities to demonstrate consistent standards in risk management across specialties and settings and to have a format that makes risk management plans easily available to clinicians unfamiliar with the patient. Further research is required to develop a method of recording risk mitigation strategies that is collaborative and can be easily completed in a clinical setting.

Perinatal mental health problems are increasingly recognised, and specialist services are more widely available for support and treatment. However, little is known about how women use these services. This study examined the use of health and support services associated with perinatal anxiety, and possible inequities.

To determine the health service use and healthcare experiences of women with perinatal anxiety, and to examine regional differences and inequalities.

A prospective longitudinal follow-up of women recruited from 17 hospital trusts. Participants (N = 722) completed anxiety measures 6 weeks postpartum, and health service use and experience measures 6 months postpartum.

Anxiety 6 weeks postpartum was associated with more GP (incidence risk ratio (IRR) 1.02, 95% CI 1.01–1.03) and health visitor (IRR 1.01, 95% CI 1.01–1.02) visits for the mother but not for the infant. Effects were moderated by ethnicity for GP visits (IRR 1.03, 95% CI 1.00–1.06) and by level of education for health visitor visits (IRR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01–1.03). Anxiety was associated with lower satisfaction with GP care for the baby, health visitor care and poorer overall healthcare experiences. Women with anxiety were more likely to attend specialist mental health (odds ratio 1.09, 95% CI 1.06–1.12) or other support services (odds ratio 1.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.06). However, 29.2% of those referred to mental health services and 30.8% referred to other support services did not attend.

Perinatal anxiety increases health service use for mothers but not for infants. Anxiety also negatively impacts satisfaction with healthcare. Findings can inform strategies to improve access and experience of care.