1. Economic, social and mental health impacts of an economic intervention for female sexual violence survivors in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
- Author
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Sarah M. Murray, Katie Robinette, Paul Bolton, Judy Bass, Catherine Poulton, Jeannie Annan, Kathryn L. Falb, Gabrielle Cole, and Juliette Seban
- Subjects
Economic intervention ,Psychological intervention ,Stigma (botany) ,sexual violence ,law.invention ,LMIC ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Randomized controlled trial ,law ,Political science ,Intervention (counseling) ,Per capita ,030212 general & internal medicine ,10. No inequality ,Socioeconomics ,Interventions ,2. Zero hunger ,030505 public health ,Sexual violence ,Poverty ,1. No poverty ,Mental health ,3. Good health ,Original Research Paper ,Sustainable Development Goals and Global Mental Health ,0305 other medical science ,mental health ,Demography - Abstract
Background.Conflict-affected communities face poverty and mental health problems, with sexual violence survivors at high risk for both given their trauma history and potential for exclusion from economic opportunity. To address these problems, we conducted a randomized controlled trial of a group-based economic intervention, Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA), for female sexual violence survivors in the Democratic Republic of Congo.Methods.In March 2011, 66 VSLA groups, with 301 study participants, were randomized to the VSLA program or a wait-control condition. Data were collected prior to randomization, at 2-months post-program in June 2012, and 8-months later for VSLA participants only. Outcome data included measures of economic and social functioning and mental health severity. VSLA program effect was derived by comparing intervention and control participants' mean changes from baseline to 2-month follow-up.Results.At follow-up, VSLA study women reported significantly greater per capita food consumption and significantly greater reductions in stigma experiences compared with controls. No other study outcomes were statistically different. At 8-month follow-up, VSLA participants reported a continued increase in per capita food consumption, an increase in economic hours worked in the prior 7 days, and an increase in access to social resources.Conclusions.While female sexual violence survivors with elevated mental symptoms were successfully integrated into a community-based economic program, the immediate program impact was only seen for food consumption and experience of stigma. Impacts on mental health severity were not realized, suggesting that targeted mental health interventions may be needed to improve psychological well-being.
- Published
- 2016
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