Study: Tech and Community Initiatives Combat Depression and Anxiety in Rural India

New Delhi: A group of Indian researchers has created an innovative combination of digital healthcare and a community-driven campaign that has demonstrated the potential to lower the risk of depression, anxiety, and self-harm in rural Indian populations.

Mental health remains a critical global challenge, with nearly 150 million people in India needing treatment, yet only a fraction receiving adequate care. The shortage of mental health professionals in India is particularly acute, especially in rural areas where trained health workers are scarce.

The Systematic Medical Appraisal, Referral, and Treatment (SMART) mental health program, led by The George Institute for Global Health researchers in New Delhi, was developed to address the gap by training village health workers in basic mental health care and using innovative methods of service delivery.

"Our research marks a significant milestone in mental health care," said Prof. Pallab Maulik, Director of Research and Programme Director (Mental Health) at The George Institute India on Friday.

"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,” he added.

The team included 9,900 people from across West Godavari, Faridabad, and Palwal districts of Andhra Pradesh and Haryana for depression.

They were part of the trial over 12 months. They implemented two key strategies: a community campaign to reduce mental health stigma and a digital healthcare initiative for those at high risk of mental disorders.

The findings, detailed in the JAMA Psychiatry journal, showed a significant reduction in depression risk among those involved in the intervention over one year.

The cure rate, measured by remission, was significantly higher in the intervention group, with 75 percent achieving full recovery, compared to just 50 percent in the control group.

Digital health solutions can be an asset to India's national mental health program.

The new finding supports the WHO and Lancet Commission's call for new strategies to reduce the impact of mental disorders worldwide. These strategies can work in low- and middle-income countries and impoverished areas of high-income countries, with some adjustments for local conditions.