Sherr, Flaherty and Wagenaar Partner with Mozambican Ministry of Health and Mozambique Health Committee (CSM) to Test Systems Analysis and Improvement Approach for Mental Health in Mozambique

Posted: 3/26/2026 (CSDE Research)

CSDE Affiliates Kenneth Sherr (Global Health), Brian P. Flaherty (Psychology), and Bradley Wagenaar (Global Health) published in The Lancet Psychiatry results of a randomized trial that tested the Systems Analysis and Improvement Approach for Mental Health (SAIA-MH) to improve outpatient care for mental, neurological, and substance use disorders in Mozambique in The Lancet Psychiatry. SAIA-MH combines external facilitation, clinical consultation, and provider team meetings with systems-engineering tools in a continuous quality improvement framework. The 3-year study followed patients across 16 government facilities, the majority of whom were diagnosed with epilepsy. Compared to controls, patients at SAIA-MH facilities showed 46 percentage points higher rates of functional improvement, 18 percentage points higher medication adherence, and 18 percentage points higher appointment attendance.