Authors: Shamsa Zafar, Siham Sikander, Syed Usman Hamdani, Najia Atif, Parveen Akhtar, Huma Nazir, Joanna Maselko, and Atif Rahman
Rates of perinatal depression in low and middle-income countries are reported to be very high. Perinatal depression not only has a profound impact on women’s health, disability and functioning, it is associated with poor child health outcomes such as pre-term birth, under-nutrition, and stunting, which ultimately have an adverse trans-generational impact. There is strong evidence in the medical literature that perinatal depression can be effectively managed with psychological treatments delivered by non-specialists. Previous research in Pakistan led to the development of a successful perinatal depression intervention, the Thinking Healthy Program (THP). The THP is a psychological treatment delivered by community health workers. The burden of perinatal depression can be reduced through scale-up of this proven intervention; however, training of health workers at scale is a major barrier. To enhance access to such interventions there is a need to look at technological solutions to training and supervision.
Researchers will conduct a single-blinded randomized controlled trial with eighty Lady Health Workers (LHWs) working in a post-conflict rural area in Pakistan and will be randomly allocated to different training methods. Women living in post-conflict areas are at higher risk of depression compared to the general population. Implementation of evidence-based interventions for depression in such situations is a challenge because health systems are weak and human resources are scarce. The key innovation to be tested in this trial is a Technology-assisted Cascade Training and Supervision system to assist scale-up of the THP.
Resource Topic: CHWs and Mental Health, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, Supervision, Training, mHealth and Technology
Resource Type: Journal articles, Research
Year: 2016
Region: Asia
Country: Pakistan
Publisher May Restrict Access: No