Cited by 118Digital Mental Health InterventionsMigration, Health and TraumaMental Health Treatment and Access

Effects of a WHO-guided digital health intervention for depression in Syrian refugees in Lebanon: A randomized controlled trial

Open access
Cuijpers, Pim, Heim, Eva, Abi Ramia, Jinane, Burchert, Sebastian, Carswell, Kenneth, Cornelisz, Ilja, Knaevelsrud, Christine, Noun, Philip +5 more·2022·PLoS Medicine

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Most displaced people with mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries do not receive effective care, and their access to care has deteriorated during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Digital mental health interventions are scalable when digital access is adequate, and they can be safely delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined whether a new WHO-guided digital mental health intervention, Step-by-Step, in which participants were supported by a nonspecialist helper, was effective in reducing depression among displaced people in Lebanon. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a single-blind, 2-arm pragmatic randomized clinical trial, comparing guided Step-by-Step with enhanced care as usual (ECAU) among displaced Syrians suffering from depression and impaired functioning in Lebanon. Primary outcomes were depression (Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9) and impaired functioning (WHO Disability Assessment Schedule-12, WHODAS) at posttreatment. Secondary outcomes included subjective well-being, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and self-described problems. A total of 569 displaced people from Syria with depression (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) and impaired functioning (WHODAS > 16) were randomized to Step-by-Step (N = 283; lost to follow-up: N = 167) or ECAU (N = 286; lost to follow-up: 133). Participants were considered to be lost to follow-up when they did not fill in the outcome measures at posttest or follow-up. Recruitment started on December 9, 2019 and was completed on July 9, 2020. The last follow-up assessments were collected in December 2020. The study team had access to the online platform, where they could see treatment arm assignment for each participant. All questionnaires were completed by participants online. Intention-to-treat (ITT) analyses showed intervention effects on depression (standardized mean differences [SMDs]: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.26; 0.70; p < 0.001), impaired functioning (SMD: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.14; 0.56; p < 0.001), post-traumatic stress (SMD: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.16; 0.56; p < 0.001), anxiety (SMD: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.24; 0.68; p < 0.001), subjective well-being (SMD: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.26; 0.68; p < 0.001), and self-identified personal problems (SMD: 0.49; 95% CI 0.28; 0.70; p < 0.001). Significant effects on all outcomes were maintained at 3 months follow-up. During the trial, one serious adverse event occurred, unrelated to the intervention. The main limitation of the current trial is the high dropout rate. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found that a guided, digital intervention was effective in reducing depression in displaced people in Lebanon. The guided WHO Step-by-Step intervention we examined should be made available to communities of displaced people that have digital access. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03720769.

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  1. [24]WHO. mhGAP Intervention Guide—Version 2.0 for mental, neurological and substance use disorders in non-specialized health settings. Geneva: WHO; 2016. 27786430

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Authors
Cuijpers, P., Heim, E., Abi Ramia, J., Burchert, S., Carswell, K., Cornelisz, I., Knaevelsrud, C., Noun, P., van Klaveren, C., van’t Hof, E., Zoghbi, E., van Ommeren, M., & El Chammay, R.
Affiliations
  • Babeș-Bolyai University (RO)
  • University of Zurich (CH)
  • Freie Universität Berlin (DE)
  • World Health Organization (CH)
  • Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL)
  • University of Lausanne (CH)
Corresponding author
Cuijpers, Pim
Venue
PLoS Medicine
Published
2022-06-23
Volume
19
Issue
6
Pages
e1004025
ISSN
  • 1549-1277 (ISSN-L)
  • 1549-1676
OpenAlex
W4283376471
Cited by
118
References
38
Citations by year
2026: 20 · 2025: 32 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 12
FWCI
21.64
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • PLoS Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Publications (Maastricht University) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • IRIS (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • Refubium (Universitätsbibliothek der Freien Universität Berlin) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • VU Research Portal (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • SERVAL (Université de Lausanne) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Universitätsbibliothek der FU Berlin Hochschulschriftenstelle u. Dokumentenserver (cc-by)
Funders
  • Research for Health in Humanitarian Crises
  • Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (733337)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Migration, Health and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
Keywords
depression, Syrian refugees, digital mental health interventions, WHO STEPwise approach, impaired functioning, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, subjective well-being, COVID-19 pandemic, displaced persons, Lebanon, access to mental health care, WHODAS, PHQ-9
MeSH terms
Internet-Based Intervention, COVID-19, Depression, Humans, Lebanon, Refugees, Syria, World Health Organization, Single-Blind Method, Treatment Outcome, Pandemics

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