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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04532008

Depression Treatment and Economic Empowerment

This pilot study randomized 48 depressed rural Bangladeshi housewives to either intervention or control groups. The intervention groups received depression treatment and a financial empowerment intervention.

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Key information

Conditions

Depressive Symptoms Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Depression

Age range

18 year–40 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

About this study

This study was conducted in the rural Sirajganj region of Bangladesh. Working with the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh and a local NGO, we recruited 48 depressed rural housewives for the study. Participants were randomized into intervention in control groups. The intervention groups (n=24) received 12 sessions of evidence based depression treatment, financial literacy education, agricultural training and skill building. They opened bank accounts and saved for six months. At the end of the six month period, participants who had met savings and attendance requirements received a cash transfer of approximately $186, which was used to purchase a productive asset. 22 participants purchased an agricultural animal, usually a goat; 1 financed a small retail business, and 1 leased land to grow crops for sale. Depression scores on the PHD-9 were sharply reduced. The study had 100% retention.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 18-40
  • PHQ greater than 10
  • Able to save
  • Able to read and write

Exclusion criteria

  • Not in age range PhQ below 10 Unable to contribute to savings account Illiterate

Treatment and study plan

Group based treatment

Behavioral

12 sessions of group based therapy that included cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, and interpersonal therapy

Primary outcomes

  1. Depressive Symptoms

    Time frame: 12 months post baseline

    symptoms on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHD-9), ranging from 0 to 27, with higher scores indicating worse outcomes

Secondary outcomes

  1. Retention

    Time frame: Assessed at 12 Months post basline

    Percentage of participants in the intervention group completing the intervention

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Other

Collaborators

  • International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh

Registry information

Official study title

The ASHA Project: Pilot Study of a Depression Treatment/Economic Empowerment

Acronym: ASHA

Important dates

Study start
2012
Primary completion
2014
Study completion
2020
First posted
Aug 31, 2020
Registry last updated
Aug 31, 2020

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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