Development and pilot testing of a social intervention for depressed women of Pakistani family origin in the UK

Background: Depressive disorders are common in women of Pakistani origin living in the UK. In a pilot study we developed and tested a culturally sensitive social group intervention for persistently depressed Pakistani women. Methods: A total of 55 persistently depressed women were identified in a population-based study. The first consecutive 18 who agreed to participate were enrolled into the study. Out of these, eight women dropped out before the start of the intervention, one woman attended the first session only and nine women attended 10 weekly sessions of the group. Outcome measures at baseline and at the end of the intervention were the 20 item Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ) and the Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN). Results: All 9 women attended at least six of the 10 sessions. Mean SRQ score at baseline was 15.0 (SD = 3.08) and 11.7 (SD = 5.95) at the end of the intervention (p = 0.039). Three women reported reduction in suicidal ideas. Conclusions: A culturally appropriate social intervention successfully brought together a group of isolated chronically depressed Pakistani women, enabling them to form informal networks and forming the basis of an RCT to treat the depression.