Task Sharing and Remote Delivery of Brief Interpersonal Counseling for Venezuelan Migrants and Refugees Living in Peru during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study

Abstract

Refugees and migrants experience an elevated risk for mental health problems and face significant barriers to receiving services. Interpersonal counseling (IPC-3) is a three-session intervention that can be delivered by non-specialists to provide psychological support and facilitate referrals for individuals in need of specialized care. We piloted IPC-3 delivered remotely by eight Venezuelan refugee and migrant women living in Peru. These counselors provided IPC-3 to Venezuelan refugee and migrant clients in Peru (n = 32) who reported psychological distress. Clients completed assessments of mental health symptoms at baseline and one-month post-intervention. A subset of clients (n = 15) and providers (n = 8) completed post-implementation qualitative interviews. Results showed that IPC-3 filled a gap in the system of mental health care for refugees and migrants in Peru. Some adaptations were made to IPC-3 to promote its relevance to the population and context. Non-specialist providers developed the skills and confidence to provide IPC-3 competently. Clients displayed large reductions in symptoms of depression (d = 1.1), anxiety (d = 1.4), post-traumatic stress (d = 1.0), and functional impairment (d = 0.8). Remote delivery of IPC-3 by non-specialists appears to be a feasible, acceptable, and appropriate strategy to address gaps and improve efficiency within the mental health system and warrants testing in a fully powered effectiveness study.