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Improving Help-seeking for Depression Care in Nepal

Not Applicable
Active, not recruiting
Conditions
Depression
Help-Seeking Behavior
Interventions
Behavioral: Gain-Life (Give informAtIoN to transform Life)
Registration Number
NCT06574074
Lead Sponsor
Transcultural Psychosocial Organization Nepal
Brief Summary

Depression is a serious public health concern worldwide due to its high prevalence rate and significant emotional and financial burden on individuals, their families, and society. There is a substantial gap between the number of people in need of treatment for depression and those who actually receive it. The recent World Health Organization (WHO) World Mental Health Survey revealed that 86.3% of people with anxiety, mood, or substance disorders in lower-middle-income countries did not receive any treatment in the past 12 months. This study aims to evaluate a community-based intervention to address demand-side barriers by improving mental health literacy, dispelling myths and misconceptions about depression, changing negative attitudes towards depression care, and promoting help-seeking behavior.

Detailed Description

It is estimated that more than 300 million people worldwide are experiencing depression, which is about 4.4% of the world's population. Despite the availability of evidence-based treatment, it is reported that 86.3% of people with anxiety, mood, or substance disorders in lower-middle-income countries received no treatment in the past 12 months. Among people who receive treatment for depression, only one out of 27 persons receive minimally adequate treatment in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite being the major contributor to the overall global burden of disease, depression receives less or no health priority in many LMICs, where more than 80% of people with depression reside.

This study will take place in two municipalities in Morang district, eastern Nepal. Female Community Health Volunteers will administer the intervention to individuals identified with depression using the locally developed and validated Community Informant Detection Tool (CIDT). Participants who receive the intervention will be followed up after one month to evaluate their help-seeking behavior (primary outcome) and after three months to assess treatment adherence, a secondary objective of the study. The study will assess the effects and interactions of four intervention components (information on depression, available treatments, stigma and myths, and life transformation experiences) on the primary outcome of help-seeking behavior and secondary outcomes such as treatment adherence. The severity of depression symptoms will be assessed using the validated PHQ-9, and knowledge and attitudes toward depression will be evaluated to assess mediation effects.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
286
Inclusion Criteria
  • being an adult aged 18 or older residing in Kanepokhari Rural Municipality or Patharisanischare Municipality,
  • those detected through the CIDT
  • providing consent for participation
  • being proficient in speaking and understanding Nepali
Exclusion Criteria
  • people with already receiving mental health services
  • having severe mental illness]
  • participants below the age of 18 years,
  • participants outside of Kanepokhari and Pathari-sanischare Municipality

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
FACTORIAL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Factor-1Gain-Life (Give informAtIoN to transform Life)Participants allocated to this will receive full version of the Gain Life intervention
Factor-3Gain-Life (Give informAtIoN to transform Life)Participants allocated to this will receive only a few components of Gain Life intervention including information on depression, available treatments, and life transformation experiences
Factor-7Gain-Life (Give informAtIoN to transform Life)Participants allocated to this will receive a selected components of the Gain Life intervention such as information on depression, available treatments and life transformation experiences
Factor-6Gain-Life (Give informAtIoN to transform Life)Participants allocated to this will receive information on depression and stigma reduction components of the Gain Life intervention
Factor-8Gain-Life (Give informAtIoN to transform Life)Participants allocated to this will receive only the information on depression component of the Gain Life intervention
Factor-4Gain-Life (Give informAtIoN to transform Life)Participants allocated to this will receive only information on depression, and available treatments components of the Gain Life intervention
Factor-5Gain-Life (Give informAtIoN to transform Life)Participants allocated to this will receive three components of the Gain Life intervention that include information on depression, stigma reduction and life transformation experiences
Factor-2Gain-Life (Give informAtIoN to transform Life)Participants allocated to this will receive a few components of the Gain Life intervention that include information on depression, available treatments, and stigma reduction
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in help-seeking behaviour for depression careIn one month

The primary outcome of this study is "change in help-seeking behavior for depression care, defined by the proportion of participants who receive treatment from a health provider".

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Treatment adherence for depressionIn three month

The secondary outcome of the study is "treatment adherence for depression defined by the proportion of people who continue treatment for three months".

Change in symptom severity of depressionIn three month

The secondary outcome of the study is change in symptom severity of depression assessed by patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9). The total score of PHQ9 can range from 0 to 27, with higher scores indicating greater severity of depression

Change in knowledge, attitude and perceptionIn three months

The secondary outcome of this study is to measure changes in knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions related to depression using a questionnaire developed based on the intervention content. The results will be presented based on the number of correct responses (yes and no) for each item of each scale separately. Number of greater \"Yes\" response indicates greater knowledge in depression, and positive attitude in help-seeking.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Transcultural Psychosocial Organization (TPO) Nepal

🇳🇵

Kathmandu, Bagmati, Nepal

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