TY - JOUR

T1 - Self-Help Plus for refugees and asylum seekers: an individual participant data meta-analysis

AU - Peckham, Emily

AU - Karyotaki, Eirini

AU - Sijbrandij, Marit

AU - Purgato, Marianna

AU - Acarturk, Ceren

AU - Lakin, Daniel

AU - Bailey, Della

AU - Uygun, Ersin

AU - Tedeschi, Federico

AU - Wancata, Johannes

AU - Augustinavicius, Jura

AU - Carswell, Ken

AU - Välimäki, Maritta

AU - van Ommeren, Mark

AU - Kösters, Markus

AU - Popa, Mariana

AU - Leku, Marx Ronald

AU - Anttila, Minna

AU - Churchill, Rachel

AU - White, Ross G.

AU - Al-Hashimi, Sarah

AU - Lantta, Tella

AU - Au, Teresa

AU - Klein, Thomas

AU - Tol, Wietse A

AU - Cuijpers, Pim

AU - Cuijpers, Pim

PY - 2023/7/1

Y1 - 2023/7/1

N2 - QUESTION: Refugees and asylum seekers are at high risk of mental disorders due to various stressors before, during and after forceful displacement. The WHO Self-Help Plus (SH+) intervention was developed to manage psychological distress and a broad range of mental health symptoms in vulnerable populations. This study aimed to examine the effects and moderators of SH+ compared with Enhanced Care as Usual (ECAU) in reducing depressive symptoms among refugees and asylum seekers.STUDY SELECTION AND ANALYSIS: Three randomised trials were identified with 1795 individual participant data (IPD). We performed an IPD meta-analysis to estimate the effects of SH+, primarily on depressive symptoms and second on post-traumatic stress, well-being, self-identified problems and functioning. Effects were also estimated at 5-6 months postrandomisation (midterm).FINDINGS: There was no evidence of a difference between SH+ and ECAU+ in reducing depressive symptoms at postintervention. However, SH+ had significantly larger effects among participants who were not employed (β=1.60, 95% CI 0.20 to 3.00) and had lower mental well-being levels (β=0.02, 95% CI 0.001 to 0.05). At midterm, SH+ was significantly more effective than ECAU in improving depressive symptoms (β=-1.13, 95% CI -1.99 to -0.26), self-identified problems (β=-1.56, 95% CI -2.54 to -0.59) and well-being (β=6.22, 95% CI 1.60 to 10.90).CONCLUSIONS: Although SH+ did not differ significantly from ECAU in reducing symptoms of depression at postintervention, it did present benefits for particularly vulnerable participants (ie, unemployed and with lower mental well-being levels), and benefits were also evident at midterm follow-up. These results are promising for the use of SH+ in the management of depressive symptoms and improvement of well-being and self-identified problems among refugees and asylum seekers.

AB - QUESTION: Refugees and asylum seekers are at high risk of mental disorders due to various stressors before, during and after forceful displacement. The WHO Self-Help Plus (SH+) intervention was developed to manage psychological distress and a broad range of mental health symptoms in vulnerable populations. This study aimed to examine the effects and moderators of SH+ compared with Enhanced Care as Usual (ECAU) in reducing depressive symptoms among refugees and asylum seekers.STUDY SELECTION AND ANALYSIS: Three randomised trials were identified with 1795 individual participant data (IPD). We performed an IPD meta-analysis to estimate the effects of SH+, primarily on depressive symptoms and second on post-traumatic stress, well-being, self-identified problems and functioning. Effects were also estimated at 5-6 months postrandomisation (midterm).FINDINGS: There was no evidence of a difference between SH+ and ECAU+ in reducing depressive symptoms at postintervention. However, SH+ had significantly larger effects among participants who were not employed (β=1.60, 95% CI 0.20 to 3.00) and had lower mental well-being levels (β=0.02, 95% CI 0.001 to 0.05). At midterm, SH+ was significantly more effective than ECAU in improving depressive symptoms (β=-1.13, 95% CI -1.99 to -0.26), self-identified problems (β=-1.56, 95% CI -2.54 to -0.59) and well-being (β=6.22, 95% CI 1.60 to 10.90).CONCLUSIONS: Although SH+ did not differ significantly from ECAU in reducing symptoms of depression at postintervention, it did present benefits for particularly vulnerable participants (ie, unemployed and with lower mental well-being levels), and benefits were also evident at midterm follow-up. These results are promising for the use of SH+ in the management of depressive symptoms and improvement of well-being and self-identified problems among refugees and asylum seekers.

KW - Health Behavior

KW - Humans

KW - Mental Health

KW - Psychological Well-Being

KW - Refugees/psychology

KW - Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/therapy

U2 - 10.1136/bmjment-2023-300672

DO - 10.1136/bmjment-2023-300672

M3 - Article

C2 - 37524517

VL - 26

JO - BMJ Mental Health

JF - BMJ Mental Health

SN - 2755-9734

IS - 1

ER -