Randomized Controlled Trial of Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depression and PTSD Among HIV-infected Women Exposed to Gender Based Violence in Kenya

We will use a parallel design with FACES Treatment as Usual (TAU) control to provide IPT once per week for twelve weeks to HIV+GBV+ women meeting CIDI diagnostic criteria for depression (MDD, dysthymia, minor depression) and PTSD secondary to GBV. Blocked randomization will be used to evenly distribute 120 participants to (1) IPT + TAU or (2) TAU for 12 weeks. The TAU group will be offered IPT treatment following the initial 12 week trial. Thus, all study subjects will receive TAU throughout the study and they will all receive IPT in either the first or second half of the study. My research team at FACES will be recruited for IPT training as potential therapists in the IPT pilot. A run-in study design will be used, assigning one training case apiece to each of the 8 therapists to practice IPT skills. Both IPT + TAU and TAU groups will be measured at baseline and weeks 12, 24 and 36 by blinded assessment. At FACES, TAU resources for HIV+GBV+ women include medical professionals, counseling, community elders, church leaders, police, and a pro-bono legal aid, all of who have all been involved with past FACES GBV interventions.