Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder by Trained Lay Counsellors in an African Refugee Settlement

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Clinical Trial

Official title:

Talking About Traumatic Events - A Randomized Controlled Dissemination Study of the Treatment of PTSD in an African Refugee Settlement

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00550056
• Other study ID #: NeEl-Ug-01
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 3
• First received: October 25, 2007
• Last updated: October 25, 2007
• Start date: January 2003
• Est. completion date: April 2004

Study information

• Verified date: October 2007
• Source: University of Konstanz
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Uganda: Office of the Prime Minister
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The study is a pragmatic trial to study the efficacy of two active methods of psychotherapy for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in a refugee camp in Africa. Treatment was administered by lay counsellors.

Description:

Traumatic stress due to conflict and war causes major mental health problems in many resource-poor countries, especially those coping with displaced populations. There is a lack of intervention research in these populations.

Te purpose of this study was to examine whether trained lay counsellors can carry out effective treatment of PTSD in a refugee settlement.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 277
• Est. completion date: April 2004
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder

Exclusion Criteria:

• Drug abuse

• Psychosis

• Mental retardation

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
• Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
• Stress Disorders, Traumatic

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Narrative Exposure Therapy
Six session of Narrative Exposure Therapy
• Trauma Counselling
Six sessions of Trauma Counselling, using a variety of skills incl. exposure methods following the skills of the therapist

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Uganda	Nakivale Refugee Camp	Mbarara

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Konstanz	German Research Foundation

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Uganda, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms measured with the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale		9 months
Secondary	Expert diagnosis of PTSD established with CIDI interview		9 months
Secondary	Physical health symptoms assessed with a checklist		9 months