NCT03704805

Effect of a Psychological Intervention on Antiretroviral Therapy and Mental Health Outcomes in HIV-positive Adults in Zimbabwe

Effect of a Psychological Intervention on Antiretroviral Therapy Outcomes and Symptoms of Common Mental Disorders in HIV-positive Adults in Rural Zimbabwe

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 480 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Bern · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The aim of the study is to examine the effect of a psychological intervention on antiretroviral therapy outcomes and symptoms of common mental health disorders among adults living with HIV and common mental disorders in rural Zimbabwe.

Detailed description

Common mental disorders are highly prevalent among people living with HIV. Left untreated, common mental disorders cause substantial disability and undermine individuals' ability to adhere to antiretroviral therapy, leading to poor antiretroviral therapy outcomes. A recent cluster-randomized controlled trial from Harare, Zimbabwe showed that the friendship bench intervention (i.e. six sessions of problem-solving therapy delivered by lay health workers followed by a peer support group) effectively reduced symptoms of common mental disorders, but the effect of the intervention on antiretroviral therapy outcomes and its effectiveness in the rural setting has not been studied. To examine the effect of the friendship bench intervention on antiretroviral therapy outcomes and symptoms of common mental disorders among adults living with HIV and common mental disorders in rural Zimbabwe, a cluster-randomized trial is conducted.

Conditions

• Mental Disorder
• HIV Infections

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Friendship bench intervention	The friendship bench intervention consists of six individual counseling sessions and a peer-led group activity. Individual counseling is based on problem-solving therapy and delivered by lay health workers. During individual counseling, participants will be actively encouraged to identify and tackle problems leading to sub-optimal antiretroviral therapy adherence. In the group activity, participants are taught an income generating skill and have the opportunity to share personal experience with former participants of the intervention.
OTHER	Enhanced Standard of Care	Study participants receive information on available routine services for common mental disorders, a nurse-led brief support counseling, assessment for antidepressant medication (fluoxetine) by the clinic nurse, and referral to a psychiatric facility if needed, in addition to the standard of care provided according to national antiretroviral therapy guidelines.

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-10-05
• Primary completion: 2020-07-15
• Completion: 2021-02-05
• First posted: 2018-10-15
• Last updated: 2023-05-01

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Zimbabwe