Mental Health Literacy and Mental Health Promotion With Urban Refugee Youth in Kampala, Uganda

University of Toronto

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Mental Health

Treatments: Behavioral: VR + MHL intervention; Behavioral: Group PM+

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05187689

40965

Details and patient eligibility

About

From our previous studies, we know that urban refugee youth commonly report depressive symptoms. The primary aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of youth-tailored interventions to improve mental health literacy and reduce mental health stigma among urban refugee youth in Kampala, Uganda. There will be two intervention arms and one control arm. The first intervention arm will involve a VR experience that focuses on mental health literacy and coping strategies, as well as SMS check-ins from peer navigators (PN) trained in psychological first aid. The second intervention arm will involve an adapted version of the WHO's Group Problem Management Plus. The primary outcomes are to a) increase mental health literacy (knowledge and understanding of mental health generally and of specific disorders; b) increase attitudes towards mental health help-seeking, c) reduce depression, d) increase adaptive coping strategies; e) reduce mental health stigma, f) improve mental wellbeing, and g) increase level of functioning. Participants will complete a pre- and post-intervention survey as well as a follow-up survey.

Enrollment: 330 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 16 to 25 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. living in one of the 5 informal settlements in Kampala we already work with (Nsambya, Katwe, Rubaga, Kabalagala, Kansanga);
2. self identify as a woman or man (transgender inclusive);
3. identify as a refugee/displaced person/having refugee parents;
4. aged 16-25;
5. own a mobile phone;
6. speak Swahili, Luganda, Kirundi, Kinyarwanda, French or English and can provide informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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330 participants in 3 patient groups

Virtual reality and mental health literacy intervention

Experimental group

Description:

This arm will participate in an interactive virtual reality experience to learn and practice mental health literacy and psychological first aid skills, supplemented by mhealth SMS with informational bidirectional messages.

Treatment:

Behavioral: VR + MHL intervention

Group Problem Management+ and VR/mental health literacy

Experimental group

Description:

This arm will participate in an interactive virtual reality experience to learn and practice mental health literacy and psychological first aid skills, supplemented by mhealth SMS with informational bidirectional messages. This arm will also participate in an 5-week Group Problem Management Plus intervention, a group based problem solving intervention.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Group PM+

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

This is a waitlist control. After Arms 1 and 2 are complete, the waitlist will receive the Group Problem Management Plus 5 week intervention on its own.