The Ethics for Mental Health Digital Innovation for Young People in Africa (EMDIYA) Network
The Ethics for Mental Health Digital Innovation for Young People in Africa (EMDIYA) Network is a group of expert Academics, Advisors and Consultants, Industry partners, Early Career Researchers, and Young People all focused on developing a robust framework for responsible and relevant digital mental health interventions for young people in African countries. This project puts diverse groups of young people at the centre of digital innovations aimed at their mental health in the African context to identify their needs and preferences. EMDIYA facilitates the sharing of knowledge about responsible and relevant digital tools among young people, ethicists, service providers (technology companies, mental health practitioners), and policymakers (guidance and standard operating procedures).
The Early Career Researchers (ECRs) and young people’s advisory group (YPAG) across Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, United Kingdom and Zimbabwe have created a Digital Campaign across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
This digital campaign is coordinated by Kiran Manku and steered by 11 ECRs and YPAG members across the 6 sites: Dr David Ndiretu, Mr Datsun Bazekeeta, Dr Tafadzwa Mindu, Dr Tinashe Mutero, Mr Bernard Akoto, Dr Winnie Cele, Ms Joy Mirembe, Ms Tatenda Kujeke, Kudzai Diana Kanyere, Mr Steven Tapi, and Mr Samuel Gbolo.
The team of 29 ECRs and YPAG members across the sites, with the support of the steering group, have created videos, comics, and infographics on the ethics of digital mental health. The digital campaign makes information on digital mental health accessible, contextual and engaging. The aim is to create informative and engaging posts for young people, academics, developers, and policymakers. The posts cover: mental health, digital mental health innovations, regulations, ethics, EMDIYA, and recommendations.
Introductory video
#Mentalhealth challenges affect 1 out of 4 people globally#DigitalMentalHealth interventions are a promising treatment route, however they are faced with #ethical #legal and #policy challenges.
We want #youngpeople across #Africa to tell us what they want to see #EMDIYA pic.twitter.com/Px4kHcIYc2
— NeuroGene_EMDIYA (@NeuroGenE) December 2, 2021
Mental health
1/3 What is #mentalhealth?
It is not madness or insanity. It is about #balancing many components of healthy wellbeing such as #exercise #meaning #sleep #diet #stress and #social connection. pic.twitter.com/haqUIgAwYZ— NeuroGene_EMDIYA (@NeuroGenE) December 7, 2021
@emdiya Sarah, an early career researcher #ECR in #EMDIYA talking about #mentalhealth across #Africa and the potential for #DigitalMentalHealth innovations
Digital Mental Health Innovations
1/2 #MentalHealth technology presents an opportunity to #access mental healthcare for young people across #Africa
There are lot of different types of apps with different aims. Some of these include @friendshipbench – Inuka, @minditgh, @talkspace, @MakeStrongMinds, and @CeSHHAR pic.twitter.com/UHULB7yfKF
— NeuroGene_EMDIYA (@NeuroGenE) December 10, 2021
Samuel & Tanya – two friends talking about #digtial #mentalhealth A comic created by #EMDIYA #ECRs and #YPAG#EMDIYA #MentalHealth #youngperson #digtialmentalhealth #ethics pic.twitter.com/3TGXFXkGl2
— NeuroGene_EMDIYA (@NeuroGenE) December 11, 2021
Digital Mental Health Regulations
How is #digital #mentalhealth regulated?
Each country has its own group of #policies
Have you noticed them being put into action?It's our role as #YoungPeople to ensure each responsible party plays their role
What are you experiences or opinions?#ethics #EMDIYA pic.twitter.com/eppztjoGh7
— NeuroGene_EMDIYA (@NeuroGenE) December 14, 2021
Ethical issues highlighted by young people on Digital Mental Health
@emdiya Here’s what Tafadwza, #EMDIYA #ECR from SouthAfrica, has to say about the #ethical issues of digital mentalhealth. Do you agree?
What are the major #ethical concerns with #DigitalMentalHealth ?
Here's what Samuel, #YPAG member from #Ghana has to say.
Do you agree? Let us know what your concerns are#Confidentiality #Affordability #Accessibility #Informedconsent #EMDIYA pic.twitter.com/gc8Je667zF
— NeuroGene_EMDIYA (@NeuroGenE) December 19, 2021
Have you ever noticed any breach of ethics in digital mental health?
What ethical concerns do you have?
Let us know what you think#EMDIYA #mentalhealth #ethics #digitalmentalhealth pic.twitter.com/tNgT7CF8xM
— NeuroGene_EMDIYA (@NeuroGenE) December 17, 2021
EMDIYA Engagement and Reflections
Tatenda and the #youngpeople reflect on their experience at #EMDIYA
How do you want to get involved? #EMDIYA #ethics #bioethics #cocreation pic.twitter.com/M3HrmpY17u
— NeuroGene_EMDIYA (@NeuroGenE) December 20, 2021
Recommendations
@emdiya Joy, an #EMDIYA #ECR talking through some of the young peoples’ recommendations for digital #mentalhealth across Africa. Do you agree?
At #EMDIYA, we asked young people across 5 African countries, and this is what they want to see in #ditigalmentalhealth
Are you a #youngperson #regulator #policymaker #developer #user ? What are your recommendations?#EMDIYA #youngpeople #ethics #digtial #mentalhealth pic.twitter.com/qChZivwnKv
— NeuroGene_EMDIYA (@NeuroGenE) December 22, 2021
Our last post in this digital campaign – we hope we provided information and engagement on the #ethics of #digital #mentalhealth innovations.
These are the recommendations from #EMDIYA #ECRs and #YPAG across 5 African countries
Do you agree? Let us know#EMDIYA #youngpeople pic.twitter.com/Q5m3tx5HKg
— NeuroGene_EMDIYA (@NeuroGenE) December 23, 2021
Let us know what you think on our social media pages: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!