None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
There is converging evidence that disasters, civil conflict, and humanitarian crises contribute to impaired mental health, social, and occupational dysfunction. These events disproportionately affect low-income-and-middle-income countries (LMIC). These patterns point to the convergent problems of psychosocial and economic impairment that interact in developing countries affected by adversity. This project aims to overcome the obstacles of this problem by integrating livelihood training with management of the psychosocial problems that impede the capacity of people to participate in the workforce. Specifically, the project compares livelihood training provided to farmers in Iraq with provision of livelihood training that is preceded by a psychosocial program that teaches fundamental coping skills focused on problem solving. In short, the primary goal of the project is to evaluate whether a combined psychosocial program and livelihood support results in better socio-economic outcomes. We expect that combining livelihood training with a brief psychological intervention will result in greater livelihood gains five years after the program commences. These livelihood gains will include improved increased income and crop yields.
Interventions
There are two arms to this trial. Arm 1: Livelihood Program/Problem Management Plus. Arm 2: Livelihood Program. The Livelihood Program/Problem Management Plus involves training farmers individually in Iraq in farming and business practices. The training will involve provision of farming aid in terms of produce and technical training for a period of 1 year, followed by training in budgeting and utilising markets for 1 year. This livelihood training will be delivered to small groups of 3-5 farmers
There are two arms to this trial. Arm 1: Livelihood Program/Problem Management Plus. Arm 2: Livelihood Program. The Livelihood Program/Problem Management Plus involves training farmers individually in Iraq in farming and business practices. The training will involve provision of farming aid in terms of produce and technical training for a period of 1 year, followed by training in budgeting and utilising markets for 1 year. This livelihood training will be delivered to small groups of 3-5 farmers on 4 occasions, with each lasting 5-hour sessions. Adherence will be assessed by monitoring participants' attendance at the Livelihood sessions. Prior to the farming training, farmers will receive will receive Problem Management Plus, which involves 5 x 120-minute weekly group sessions teach the following stress coping strategies: anxiety reduction, problem solving, behavioral activation, and accessing social support. This will occur will in a face-to-face format, using educational sessions that teach cognitive behavioural strategies, using flipcharts and group discussions in groups of 8-10 farmers. The duration of the study for any participant will conclude after a 48-month follow-up assessment, resulting in participation duration of 214 weeks. Adherence will be assessed by monitoring participants' attendance at the Problem Management Plus sessions via a checklist maintained by the group facilitator.
Sponsors
World Vision Australia
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Educational / counselling / training
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
• Adults aged 18 years or above • Residents in Iraq • Farmers agreeing to receive farming training • Arabic speaking
Exclusion criteria
• Severe cognitive impairment • Severe suicidal intent
Outcome results
None listed