Citation

Bonilla-Escobar FJ, Tobón-García D, Cordoba-Castro LA, Pacichana-Quinayaz SG, Fandiño-Losada A, Gutiérrez-Martínez MI. Med. Conflict. Surviv. 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13623699.2023.2196500

PMID

37137735

Abstract

The objective of the study is to assess the middle-term effects (1 year after intervention) of two community-based mental health interventions, Common Elements Treatment Approach intervention, CETA, and Narrative Community Group Therapy intervention, NCGT, in two cities of the Colombian Pacific region (Buenaventura and Quibdó). A follow-up study was conducted on a cohort of trial participants. In this trial, the positive effects of two mental health interventions were evaluated; assessment was carried out in separate groups (CETA arm, NCGT arm and a control group) of the reduction of symptoms of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress and function impaired mentality. The participants were Afro-Colombian survivors of the armed conflict and displacement living in Buenaventura and Quibdó. They were surveyed using the same instrument used in the original trial. Intent-to-treat analyses were performed, and longitudinal mixed-effects regression models with random effects were used to analyse the middle-term effects of the interventions. At 1-year post-intervention, participants in Buenaventura who received the CETA intervention experienced a decrease in depression (-0.23; p = 0.02), post-traumatic stress symptoms (-0.23; p = 0.02) and total mental health symptoms (-0.14; p = 0.048). In Quibdó, the NCGT intervention significantly improved function impairment (-0.30; p = 0.005). CETA and NCGT interventions have the potential to maintain a reduction of mental health symptoms in participants from the Colombian Pacific region.

Language: en

Keywords

Mental health; violence; group therapy; cognitive-behavioural therapy; community-based; displacement