Economic impacts of mental health interventions in low and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis Authors:

This paper systematically and quantitatively reviews 39 mental health trials conducted in lower and middle income countries, to assess whether the interventions had an effect on economic outcomes. Of a total of 238 effect estimates that we coded from these studies, more than half are positive and statistically significant, with an unconditional average effect size of 0.22 standard deviations. These large effects are mostly driven by trials that combine psychosocial interventions with either a pharmacological component (SMD=0.29) or an economic add-on intervention (SMD=0.34). Effect sizes increase with country income status, with the smallest increases happening in low-income countries (SMD=0.09). We analyze correlates of success in a meta-regression framework: we find that programs are more successful that (i) target a specific location (rural or urban), (ii) are implemented by research institutes or universities, and (iii) target both male and female participants. Initial results on the mechanisms behind our findings suggest that positive effects on economic outcomes are caused by improvement in mental health.