NCT06756165

Community Based Mental Health Screening and Referral

Community-Based Mental Health Screening & Referral for Flood-Affected Women in Dadu: A Feasibility Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 4,800 (actual)
• Sponsor: Dr Jai Kumar Das · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years – 49 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This feasibility study aims to evaluate the implementation of a community-based mental health screening, referral, and resilience-building intervention for flood-affected women of reproductive age (WRA) in a rural district of Dadu, Sindh, Pakistan. The quasi-experimental study uses a comparison group and involves training Lady Health Workers (LHWs) to conduct mental health screening using GAD-2 and PHQ-2 tools, refer screen-positive women to Basic Health Units (BHUs) for further assessment, and conduct group sessions on mental health awareness and climate resilience. BHU doctors will reassess referred women using GAD-7 and PHQ-9, provide psycho-counseling, and refer severe cases to tertiary care. The study will assess feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and effectiveness of the intervention to inform scalable mental health strategies for disaster-prone settings.

Detailed description

This study evaluates the feasibility and implementation of a community-based mental health screening, referral, and resilience-building intervention for women of reproductive age (WRA) affected by the 2022 floods in the Dadu district of Sindh, Pakistan. The intervention engages Lady Health Workers (LHWs) to screen WRA using validated tools-GAD-2 and PHQ-2. Women scoring ≥3 on either scale will be referred to Basic Health Units (BHUs), where trained facility-based doctors will reassess them using the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 instruments. Based on the diagnosis, WRA with mild to moderate symptoms will receive two structured counseling sessions, while those with severe symptoms will be referred to tertiary care with logistical support. In parallel, LHWs will conduct monthly group sessions to raise mental health awareness, address stigma, and build community resilience to climate change-related hazards such as flooding. These sessions, based on a standardized curriculum, are open to all WRA regardless of screening status and focus on stress management, coping strategies, and emotional support. The study employs a quasi-experimental design with a comparison group across selected union councils. The intervention will be evaluated through baseline and end-line quantitative surveys as well as qualitative assessments via focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews (IDIs). The primary outcomes include feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and awareness levels, while the secondary outcome assesses the effectiveness of the intervention in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. The findings will guide future efforts to integrate mental health services into primary care and community-based disaster preparedness strategies in Pakistan and similar contexts.

Conditions

• Mental Health
• Depression
• Anxiety Disorders
• Community Health Services
• Women's Health

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Mental health screening	Participants in the intervention arm will receive a mental health screening, referral, and counselling program by trained LHWs and BHU staff. LHWs will screen 120-170 WRA using PHQ-2 and GAD-2. Screen-positive WRA will be referred to BHUs, where trained doctors will reassess them using PHQ-9 and GAD-7. Those with mild to moderate anxiety or mild to moderately severe depression will receive two counselling sessions (initial and follow-up), each lasting at least 20 minutes, covering psychoeducation, awareness, and coping strategies. Severe cases will be referred to tertiary care for specialized mental health services. Mild cases will be advised to join resilience-building sessions. All WRA will attend two of three monthly group sessions by LHWs (20-25 WRA, 2 hours each), focusing on mental health literacy and coping strategies, including those related to climate change stressors like floods.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-01-15
• Primary completion: 2025-08-31
• Completion: 2025-09-30
• First posted: 2025-01-01
• Last updated: 2025-11-24

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Pakistan