Tuesday, April 29, 2025
4/29/2025
Friendship Bench for Women Who Use Methamphetamine in Vietnam - PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT Mental illness is common among women who use methamphetamine (WWUM). The high comorbidity of mental health issues and meth use worsens both their mental health and meth use outcomes. We propose to evaluate the potential of Friendship Bench to be used as a low-threshold, task-shifting mental health intervention among WWUM in Vietnam—a lower-middle-income country. The specific aims of this research proposal are to: (1) assess the mental health needs of WWUM in Haiphong, (2) adapt Friendship Bench to the specific needs of Vietnamese WWUM and (3) assess the feasibility, fidelity, and acceptability of the adapted Friendship Bench for common mental disorders among WWUM and preliminary indicators of its impact in improving their mental health and methamphetamine use in a two-arm randomized trial, comparing Friendship Bench with usual psychiatric care. The proposed research will support the candidate for this career development award, Dr. Nguyen Thu Trang, to achieve her long-term career goal to ensure more humane and effective treatment of drug-related issues in Vietnam and globally. Dr. Trang is a researcher at Hanoi Medical University (HMU), Vietnam. To accomplish that goal, she will work under mentored guidance to achieve four specific training objectives: (1) to acquire necessary knowledge in mental health interventions and research, including the identification and management of common mental disorders and the applicability of the Friendship Bench model; (2) to develop key skills in conducting research with people who use drugs including theoretically driven, evidence-based systematic recruitment approaches to hidden populations, community engagement, and the associated concerns related to research in vulnerable populations; (3) to acquire the skills needed to design and implement randomized controlled trials for both effectiveness and implementation science research and (4) to develop key skills needed for a successful research career. Nguyen Thu Trang is supported by a dedicated mentorship team. Drs. Bradley Gaynes, Professor of Psychiatry and Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (UNC) and Le Minh Giang, Professor of Epidemiology and leading researcher in substance use in Vietnam at HMU, will serve as her U.S.- based and LMIC-based primary mentors. Drs. Vivian Go, Professor of Health Behavior at UNC and William Miller, Professor of Epidemiology at UNC will provide her with mentorship in implementation science and randomized controlled trial design and conduct. The research plan has the support of Dr. Ruth Verhey – a co- developer of the Friendship Bench model and Dr. Byron Powel – a leading expert in implementation strategies. It also secures support from a community-based organization for women who use drugs in Haiphong who will be a key partner in the research implementation. The chairman of HMU is committed to provide the candidate with the resources and protected time necessary for completion of this award.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).