Pakistan

Improving mental health literacy of frontline community health workers in a rural district of Pakistan: mPareshan project

This study found that training community health workers and their supervisors improved their ability to recognize anxiety and depression, provide basic emotional support, and refer people for further care when needed. The training was especially effective in building practical skills, showing that community health workers can play an important role in expanding access to mental … [Read more...] about Improving mental health literacy of frontline community health workers in a rural district of Pakistan: mPareshan project

This study in Pakistan tested a digital-supported mental health program delivered by community-based health workers to women experiencing emotional distress. The program included guided sessions, videos, and simple tools to help workers deliver care more consistently. Most participants completed all sessions, and the quality of delivery was high. Women who took part showed … [Read more...] about Feasibility and acceptability of technology-assisted problem management plus (TA-PM+) in community settings in Pakistan: a pre-post mixed-methods study

After severe floods in Pakistan disrupted health services and increased mental health needs, a digital program called mPareshan trained community health workers to provide app-based counseling for anxiety and depression. Despite the crisis and shortage of mental health professionals, these workers continued supporting affected communities using the mobile tool. The project … [Read more...] about Frontline heroes: Leveraging community health workers as first responders for climate-related digital mental health support

This study tested a training program for lay health workers in Karachi to screen newborns for visible birth defects and refer families for care. After the four-week training, participants showed clear improvement in knowledge and skills, with high agreement with a physician’s assessments. Health workers gave positive feedback on the program, highlighting effective teaching and … [Read more...] about Newborn screening and referral for congenital anomalies by lay health workers in Pakistan: a mixed-methods study to evaluate the effectiveness of a co-created educational intervention

This study tested a digital mental health program called mPareshan in rural Sindh, Pakistan. Trained lady health workers used a mobile app to screen and counsel adults with mild to moderate anxiety or depression during routine home visits. Of the 98 people who started the program, 92 completed six monthly sessions. After the sessions, their anxiety and depression scores dropped … [Read more...] about Home-based digital counselling by frontline community workers for anxiety and depression symptoms in rural Sindh, Pakistan the mPareshan intervention