Pilot Mental Health Survey, Nepal: Lessons Learned for Survey Design and Instrumentation

Objective: Learning from pilot studies is crucial for the successful implementation of large-scale surveys. In this manuscript, we present the lessons learned for instrumentation and survey methods from a pilot national mental health survey conducted in Nepal. Design: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 1,647 participants aged 13 years and older in three districts of Nepal. We used the Nepali translated standard adult and adolescent versions of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) 7.0.2 for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) to do face-to-face structured diagnostic interviews. In addition, we included questionnaires on help-seeking behavior and barriers in accessing care. Results: We used a six-step procedure to translate and fit the tools in the context of Nepal. We conducted pretesting to evaluate the Nepali translated tools and adaptations, such as the addition of bridging sentences at the start of different modules. We identified different challenges during the tools administration and the ways to minimize reporting bias during data collection. Conclusion: The pilot survey identified the areas for improvement in survey tools, techniques, and methodology. The lessons learned from the pilot survey and the resulting corrective recommendations helped in more successful implementation of the Nepal national mental health survey.