We are developing and evaluating an mHealth intervention to increase the reach and effectiveness of mental health care in low-middle income countries (LMICs). Building on our established foundation of collaborative mHealth research in Colombia, we will develop and test AniMóvil, a scalable mHealth service designed to monitor patients’ depressive symptoms and deliver tailored behavioral activation messages derived from CBT principles. In collaboration with Colombian mental health professionals, potential community health workers (CHWs), and people with depression to develop AniMóvil’s mHealth components, including automated phone (IVR)- and text message (SMS)-based patient monitoring and psychoeducation, plus smartphone resources that will enable CHWs to deliver brief, structured CBT by telephone. Patients’ depressive symptoms and CBT skill-practice will be reported weekly via IVR, and patients will receive tailored behavioral activation messages during those calls. Patients will report their mood daily via SMS and receive reinforcement and follow-up based on those reports. By emphasizing collaborative engagement with Colombian co-investigators, we will increase their capacity for independent mHealth scientific discovery. By combining SMS/IVR monitoring and patient activation with smartphone support for CHWs and supervisors, Animóvil can serve as a prototype for mHealth services that increase access to care management for LMIC patients with other high priority non-communicable diseases.
For more information, contact Nicolle Marinec at stecn@umich.edu
Categories:
Depression, Health Conditions, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), International, Mobile Health, Populations, SMS & Text Messaging, Spanish-Speaking, Telephone
