Effect of a Primary Care–Based Psychological Intervention on Symptoms of Common Mental Disorders in Zimbabwe: A Randomized Clinical Trial | Anxiety Disorders | JAMA | JAMA Network

Effect of a Primary Care–Based Psychological Intervention on Symptoms of Common Mental Disorders in Zimbabwe: A Randomized Clinical Trial | Anxiety Disorders | JAMA | JAMA Network



Since 2006, psychiatrist Dixon Chibanda has trained teams of grandmothers to work as counsellors at the Friendship Bench, a nationwide programme in Zimbabwe. “I treasure my time with the grandmothers,” he says. “We sit on the bench and talk about our families, recent births and deaths and the troubles in the community.” Chibanda has led a randomized controlled trial that showed that programme participants did better after six months of help than did those in standard care. (Nature | 2 min read) (Rainer Kwiotek)