TY - JOUR
T1 - ASHA
T2 - Using participatory methods to develop an asset-building mental health intervention for Bangladeshi immigrant women
AU - Karasz, Alison
AU - Raghavan, Sumithra
AU - Patel, Viraj
AU - Zaman, Moumita
AU - Akhter, Laila
AU - Kabita, Mahbhooba
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 The Johns Hopkins University Press.
PY - 2015/12/1
Y1 - 2015/12/1
N2 - Background. Common mental disorder (CMD) is highly prevalent among low-income immigrant women, yet few receive effective treatment. This underutilization is partly owing to a lack of conceptual synchrony between biopsychiatric theories underlying conventional mental treatments and explanatory models in community settings. The Action to Improve Self-esteem and Health through Asset building (ASHA) program is a depression intervention designed by and for South Asian women immigrants. ASHA helps women to build psychological, social, and financial assets. Objectives. This paper describes the development and a preliminary pilot evaluation of the ASHA intervention. Methods. Researchers, clinicians, activists, and women from the Bronx Bangladeshi community collaboratively designed a depression intervention that would synchronize with local concepts of distress. In addition to providing mental health treatment, ASHA addresses social isolation and financial dependence. ASHA was evaluated in a pilot study described in this paper. Participants were assigned to intervention or delayed intervention (control) groups. Data collection at baseline and time 2 (6 months) included the Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ–9) and an indigenous measure of psychological and somatic distress. Results. Eighty percent of intervention participants completed the 6-month program. After treatment, mean PHQ–9 scores in the intervention group decreased from 9.90 to 4.26 (p < .001). Participants saved an average of $10 per week. To date, participants have applied their skills and savings toward such activities as starting small businesses and enrolling in community college. Conclusions. ASHA was effective in improving depression and increasing financial independence. Using a culturally synchronous approach to psychological treatment may be effective in ameliorating distress in immigrant populations.
AB - Background. Common mental disorder (CMD) is highly prevalent among low-income immigrant women, yet few receive effective treatment. This underutilization is partly owing to a lack of conceptual synchrony between biopsychiatric theories underlying conventional mental treatments and explanatory models in community settings. The Action to Improve Self-esteem and Health through Asset building (ASHA) program is a depression intervention designed by and for South Asian women immigrants. ASHA helps women to build psychological, social, and financial assets. Objectives. This paper describes the development and a preliminary pilot evaluation of the ASHA intervention. Methods. Researchers, clinicians, activists, and women from the Bronx Bangladeshi community collaboratively designed a depression intervention that would synchronize with local concepts of distress. In addition to providing mental health treatment, ASHA addresses social isolation and financial dependence. ASHA was evaluated in a pilot study described in this paper. Participants were assigned to intervention or delayed intervention (control) groups. Data collection at baseline and time 2 (6 months) included the Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ–9) and an indigenous measure of psychological and somatic distress. Results. Eighty percent of intervention participants completed the 6-month program. After treatment, mean PHQ–9 scores in the intervention group decreased from 9.90 to 4.26 (p < .001). Participants saved an average of $10 per week. To date, participants have applied their skills and savings toward such activities as starting small businesses and enrolling in community college. Conclusions. ASHA was effective in improving depression and increasing financial independence. Using a culturally synchronous approach to psychological treatment may be effective in ameliorating distress in immigrant populations.
KW - Community health partnerships
KW - Community-based participatory research
KW - Health disparities
KW - Health services
KW - Indigenous
KW - Mental health services
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U2 - 10.1353/cpr.2015.0080
DO - 10.1353/cpr.2015.0080
M3 - Article
C2 - 26639376
AN - SCOPUS:84949567816
SN - 1557-0541
VL - 9
SP - 501
EP - 512
JO - Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action
JF - Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action
IS - 4
ER -