SEEK GSP

Uganda

Group support psychotherapy is a culturally sensitive and highly cost-effective first line intervention for depression and other common mental health problems in rural populations with gender-based violence. It can be delivered by lay health worker.

Scaling

1-3 years

$1,132,000.00

Last update: October 05, 2023

Challenge

350 million people suffer from depression worldwide, 7/10 of those people are living in poverty without access to first-line psychological treatments. The Group support psychotherapy (GSP) aims to narrow the treatment gap for depression in rural populations including those affected by gender-based violence. GSP is a culturally sensitive, highly cost-effective first-line psychological treatment for depression & other common mental health problems & can be delivered by lay health worker.

Description

One of the major advantages of the SEEK-GSP programme is that it does not require ongoing input from expert mental health practitioners. Primary health care workers in rural health centres are trained to deliver the GSP sessions. In turn, they are able to train lay health workers to identify individuals with depression and treat them through village-based weekly GSP sessions – thus empowering local communities to take control of their own mental health needs.

SDGs

GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEINGGENDER EQUALITYSUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIESPEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS

Outcomes

This innovation has been successfully implemented in three districts (Gulu, Kitgum and Pader) in northern Uganda. Results are published in the Lancet Global health journal: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32035035/