Peru

The Improving Access to Mental Health Care Globally CO-LLAB Research Group seeks to improve access to mental health care in under-resourced settings through the development of culturally informed, integrated mental health care systems and services and sustainable training of non-mental health professionals. The research group is built on strong bidirectional collaborations with local universities, government entities, and NGOs in Peru and seeks to improve capacity for research and clinical care delivery in the country.

Integration of Mental Health Care into Primary Care in Rural Peru

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Developing Measures to Improve Access to Integrated Mental Health Care Services in Under-Resourced Global Settings

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Peruvian National Survey of Mental Health and Service Utilization

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Boston-Based Team

Maria C. Prom, MD

Principal Investigator

Krisztina Baltimore, PhD

Research Associate

Jimena Vizarreta Rosas, MD, MPH

Resident Trainee (MGH/McLean Psychiatry Residency Program)

Érinn C. Cameron, PhD

Impact Scholar, University of Michigan Center for Global Health Equity

Jessica Thai, MD/MPH Candidate

Medical Student Trainee (BU CAMED/BUSPH)

Sadie Ochoa, MD Candidate

Medical Student Trainee

Peru-Based Team

Victor Cruz Campos, MD, MS

Principal Investigator

Andres Pariamachi, MD

Co-Investigator

Juan Claux, PhD, MSc

Co-Investigator

Andrea Lozano Quintana

Research Fellow

Ariana Dueñas Muñoz

Research Coordinator

Valery Marin

Research Assistant

Esteban Alarcon Braga, MD, MPH, MSc

Research Assistant

Paula Gamarra

Research Assistant

Integration of Mental Health Care into Primary Care in Rural Peru

Our team has built a collaborative research partnership with the Peruvian National Institute of Health, Huánuco Regional Department of Health under the Ministry of Health, and the University of San Martin de Porres Medical School to support the development of integrated mental health care systems. The project proposes to adapt and pilot an integrated mental health care system within primary care in rural Huánuco, Peru with the goal for future scale up at a national level. This project is primarily funded locally by the Huanuco Regional Department of Health and University of Huanuco.

Objectives:

  • Conduct a community-based participatory research mixed methods needs assessment to inform mental health integrated care program adaptation.

  • Adapt existing mental health integrated care program models to the local environment.

  • Conduct a pilot feasibility trial to assess feasibility and acceptability of the adapted model.

Principal Investigators: Drs. Maria Prom, Victor Cruz, Elizabeth Levey

Developing Measures to Improve Access to Integrated Mental Health Care Services in Under-Resourced Global Settings

In Sept 2024, our collaborative research group was awarded a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) R34 Grant to develop measures to improve access to integrated mental health care services in global settings. This study complements the above integrated mental health care adaptation and pilot study in Huánuco, Peru.

Objectives:

  • To conduct a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) focused mixed methods needs assessment to inform access measurement adaptation for integrated mental health care services.

  • To adapt existing care access measurement frameworks to an integrated mental health care service model.

  • To conduct a pilot feasibility trial to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the adapted access measurement system.

Main Principal Investigators: Drs. Maria Prom, Victor Cruz, Elizabeth Levey

Peruvian National Survey of Mental Health and Service Utilization

Our team has built a collaborative research partnership with the Peruvian National Institute of Health, Huánuco Regional Department of Health under the Ministry of Health, and the University of San Martin de Porres Medical School to support the development of integrated mental health care systems. The project proposes to adapt and pilot an integrated mental health care system within primary care in rural Huánuco, Peru with the goal for future scale up at a national level. This project is primarily funded locally by the Huanuco Regional Department of Health and University of Huanuco.

Objectives:

  • Conduct a community-based participatory research mixed methods needs assessment to inform mental health integrated care program adaptation.

  • Adapt existing mental health integrated care program models to the local environment.

  • Conduct a pilot feasibility trial to assess feasibility and acceptability of the adapted model.

Principal Investigators: Drs. Maria Prom, Victor Cruz, Elizabeth Levey