Using Theory of Change to design and evaluate a complex mental health intervention in five low and middle- income countries: the case of PRIME

Abstract

Developing and evaluating the implementation of complex health interventions into routine health services in low and middle income countries is challenging. This presentation will explore how Theory of Change, a monitoring and evaluation approach, strengthened the design and evaluation of a complex health intervention (PRIME) which aimed to integrate mental health into primary health in districts or sub-districts in Ethiopia, India, Nepal, South Africa and Uganda. Erica will describe how PRIME used Theory of Change to co-develop district level mental healthcare plans with stakeholders to ensure local relevance within each implementation site while providing an overall framework for evaluation across sites. She will reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of this approach in the context of the evaluation of complex health interventions in global health.