Approximately 3 million people in Vietnam suffer from depression with virtually no access to psychotherapeutic services. Under previous TTS funding, the team at Simon Fraser University successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of a community-based, low-cost psychosocial self-supported management (SSM) intervention to reduce symptoms of depression among adults in community-based and primary care settings. The original innovation used a hardcopy workbook navigated independently by the user which has since been adapted for use digitally through an mHealth app called VMood. The VMood app allows users to work through content at their own pace, augmented by weekly text, voice or video chat with a trained social worker. With this funding, Simon Fraser University will increase access to VMood to treat depression across 8 provinces in Vietnam.
