Psychological intervention applied by a medical intern to reduce depressive symptoms in rural women

Abstract

Depression constitutes a public health problem, particularly for women. Furthermore, although  effective  interventions exist in  Mexico and other similar  countries, their accessibility is  markedly scarce in rural areas with a lack of mental health  professionals. This work evaluated  the effectiveness of a  brief psychological intervention taught by a medical intern  previously trained by a certified  psychotherapist, to reduce depressive symptoms in women who live in rural areas of the State of Jalisco, Mexico. The sample was made up of adult women  residents of the municipal seat of Guachinango (to incorporate the experimental group: EG) and of one of its towns, called La  Estanzuela (with which the control group was formed: CG). All completed the Beck Depression  Inventory before, at the end and five months after the EG intervention. There were no  baseline differences in any demographic variable or in  depressive symptoms between the EG (n=27) and the CG (n=24).  When comparing baseline measurements with those after  the intervention, a significant effect was found for changes over  time (F=22.7, df=1,50, p <0.001)  and for time by EG interaction  (F=5.5, df=1,50, p=0.02), reflecting a decrease  in depressive  symptoms in the EG at the end of the intervention and in comparison with the CG, which  was maintained at follow-up. Brief psychological interventions taught by briefly trained lay on psychotherapy health personnel are effective for the management of depressive symptoms in   women living in rural areas in Mexico.