Mental health in refugees and asylum seekers (MEHIRA): study design and methodology of a prospective multicentre randomized controlled trail investigating the effects of a stepped and collaborative care model

European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
2019

Mental health in refugees and asylum seekers (MEHIRA): study design and methodology of a prospective multicentre randomized controlled trail investigating the effects of a stepped and collaborative care model (Article)

Böge K. , Karnouk C. , Hahn E. , Schneider F. , Habel U. , Banaschewski T. , Meyer-Lindenberg A. , Salize H.J. , Kamp-Becker I. , Padberg F. , Hasan A. , Falkai P. , Rapp M.A. , Plener P.L. , Stamm T. , Elnahrawy N. , Lieb K. , Heinz A. , Bajbouj M.*

^a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
^b Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
^c Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
^d Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University and JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich and RWTH, Aachen, Germany, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
^e Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University and JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich and RWTH, Aachen, Germany
^f Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
^g Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
^h Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
ⁱ Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Human Medicine, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
^j Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
^k Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
^l Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
^m Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
ⁿ Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
^o Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School Brandenburg Theodor Fontane, Neuruppin, Germany
^p Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsmedizin Mainz, Mainz, Germany
^q Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsmedizin Mainz, Mainz, Germany
^r Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
^s Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany

Abstract

The sudden arrival of culturally diverse asylum seekers and refugees into Germany has created a strong demand for recognizing and appropriately treating those suffering from mental health issues. Due to many systemic, organizational, cultural and socio-linguistic barriers, psychiatric treatment of refugees is posing a major challenge to Germany’s mental health care system. Thus, there is a need for alternative models that allow for increased access to adequate, effective and efficient culturally sensitive mental health care services. Here, we describe the Mental Health in Refugees and Asylum Seekers (MEHIRA) project, a multicentre randomized controlled trial investigating a stepped collaborative care model (SCCM) for providing mental health treatment in this vulnerable population. The proposed SCCM aims to decrease the aforementioned barriers. Adult and adolescent participants will be screened for depressive symptoms and matched to appropriate psychological interventions, including group-level interventions (START intervention, Empowerment/Gender-sensitive/Peer to peer), and other innovative, digital treatment approaches (Smartphone application). The therapeutic effect of the SCCM will be compared to TAU (treatment-as-usual). All interventions have been designed to be culturally sensitive, and offered in two different languages: Arabic and Farsi. The outcome of this study may contribute significantly to future clinical and legal guidelines in developing parallel and efficient new structures of treatment. Collected data will inform primary and secondary mental health care providers with recommendations concerning the design and implementation of effective treatment models and programmes. Guidelines and recommendations may also potentially be adopted by other host countries, developing countries and also in humanitarian aid programmes. © 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Author Keywords

Asylum seekers Depression Mental health Refugees Stepped collaborative care model

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85062026856&doi=10.1007%2fs00406-019-00991-5&partnerID=40&md5=a5695cbfbec94fce82194d938afcdc24

DOI: 10.1007/s00406-019-00991-5

ISSN: 09401334

Cited by: 1

Original Language: English