Treatment Preferences for Pharmacological versus Psychological Interventions among Primary Care Providers in Nepal: Mixed Methods Analysis of a Pilot Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Anvita Bhardwaj, Dristy Gurung, Sauharda Rai, Bonnie N. Kaiser, Cori L. Cafaro, Kathleen J. Sikkema, Crick Lund, Nagendra P. Luitel and Brandon A. Kohrt
Additional contact information
Anvita Bhardwaj: Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Dristy Gurung: Centre for Global Mental Health, Health Services and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
Sauharda Rai: Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
Bonnie N. Kaiser: Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
Cori L. Cafaro: Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
Kathleen J. Sikkema: Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
Crick Lund: Centre for Global Mental Health, Health Services and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
Nagendra P. Luitel: Transcultural Psychosocial Organization (TPO) Nepal, Baluwatar 44616, Nepal
Brandon A. Kohrt: Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 4, 1-17

Abstract: There is increasing evidence supporting the effectiveness of psychological interventions in low- and middle-income countries. However, primary care providers (PCPs) may prefer treating patients with medication. A secondary exploratory analysis of a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate psychological vs. pharmacological treatment preferences among PCPs. Thirty-four health facilities, including 205 PCPs, participated in the study, with PCPs in 17 facilities assigned to a standard version of the mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) training delivered by mental health specialists. PCPs in the other 17 facilities received mhGAP instruction delivered by specialists and people with lived experience of mental illness (PWLE), using a training strategy entitled Reducing Stigma among HealthcAre ProvidErs (RESHAPE). Pre- and post- intervention attitudes were measured through quantitative and qualitative tools. Qualitative interviews with 49 participants revealed that PCPs in both arms endorsed counseling’s benefits and collaboration within the health system to provide counseling. In the RESHAPE arm, PCPs were more likely to increase endorsement of statements such as “depression improves without medication” ( F = 9.83, p < 0.001), “not all people with depression must be treated with antidepressants” ( χ 2 = 17.62, p < 0.001), and “providing counseling to people who have alcohol abuse problems is effective” ( χ 2 = 26.20, p < 0.001). These mixed-method secondary findings from a pilot trial suggest that in-person participation of PWLE in training PCPs may not only reduce stigma but also increase PCPs’ support of psychological interventions. This requires further investigation in a full-scale trial.

Keywords: attitudes; depression; developing countries; mental health; primary care; psychological treatments; stigma; training (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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