India’s rural mental health program achieves success in reducing depression and anxiety: Global Study

New Delhi: The George Institute for Global Health, based in New Delhi, has shown that a combination of digital healthcare and community-based campaigns can significantly reduce the risk of depression, anxiety, and self-harm in rural India, in the largest global study of its kind. 

This program, which screened nearly 170,000 adults and involved 9,900 participants in the trial, has led to remarkable improvements in mental health awareness and stigma reduction in the districts of Andhra Pradesh and Haryana. 

The study revealed that this unique blend of interventions led to a substantial reduction in depression risk, with a higher cure rate in the intervention group—75% of participants achieving full recovery compared to 50% in the control group. Additionally, the program led to significant increases in knowledge and attitudes related to mental health, with notable declines in the stigma surrounding mental health issues. 

India faces significant challenges in providing adequate mental health care, particularly in rural areas, where the shortage of trained professionals is acute. The SMART (Systematic Medical Appraisal, Referral, and Treatment) Mental Health Program was designed to address this gap by training local village health workers, known as ASHAs, in basic mental health care, supplemented by digital health tools to extend care delivery. 

Prof. Pallab Maulik, Director of Research and Program Director (Mental Health) at the George Institute India, emphasized the significance of the findings, stating, “This study, the largest of its kind globally, revealed a substantial reduction in depression risk over one year and highlighted the profound impact of our dual intervention approach.”

The study’s implications extend beyond India, offering a model for other low- and middle-income countries that struggle with similar mental health challenges. Prof. David Peiris, Chief Scientist at the George Institute, noted, “This study shows that community health workers, supported by doctors and simple digital tools, can provide high quality, effective health care. The strategy is simple, safe, clinically effective and can reach large numbers of people missing out on mental health care worldwide.” 

Mercian Daniel, Senior Research Fellow at the George Institute India, added, “The success of such a large trial at the primary care level included providing initial handholding and regular supportive supervision to ASHAs and primary health care doctors along with actively engaging with the community”.

This innovative use of digital health solutions in rural areas aligns with global calls from organizations like the WHO and the Lancet Commission to reduce the global burden of mental health disorders. Digital health, as demonstrated by this study, could play a crucial role in expanding India’s National Mental Health Program, bringing necessary mental health services to millions in need.