@article{ref1,
title="The ASHA (Hope) Project: testing an integrated depression treatment and economic strengthening intervention in rural Bangladesh: a pilot randomized controlled trial",
journal="International journal of environmental research and public health",
year="2021",
author="Tofail, Fahmida and Hamadani, Jena Derakhshani and Anne, Shabnam and Karasz, Alison",
volume="18",
number="1",
pages="e279-e279",
abstract="Depression, a debilitating disorder, is highly prevalent among low-income women in low- and middle-income countries. Standard psychotherapeutic approaches may be  helpful, but low treatment uptake, low retention, and transient treatment effects  reduce the benefit of therapy. This pilot randomized controlled trial examined the  effectiveness and feasibility of an integrated depression treatment/economic  strengthening intervention. The study took place in two villages in the Sirajganj  district in rural Bangladesh. Forty-eight low-income women with depressive symptoms  (Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score ≥ 10) were recruited and randomized to  intervention or control arms. The intervention included a six-month group-based,  fortnightly depression management and financial literacy intervention, which was  followed by a cash-transfer of $186 (equivalent to the cost of two goats) at 12  months' follow-up. The cash transfer could be used to purchase a productive asset  (e.g., agricultural animals). The control arm received no intervention. <br><br>FINDINGS  showed significant reduction in depression scores in the intervention group. The  mean PHQ-9 score decreased from 14.5 to 5.5 (B ± SE, -9.2 ± 0.8 95% CI -10.9, -7.5,  p < 0.01) compared to no change in the control group. Most other psycho-social  outcomes, including tension, self-esteem, hope, social-support, and participation in  household economic decision-making, also improved with intervention. An integrated  depression treatment and financial empowerment intervention was found to be highly  effective among rural low-income women with depression. Next steps involve formal  testing of the model in a larger trial.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1661-7827",
doi="10.3390/ijerph18010279",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18010279"
}