Clinical trial NCT00749177: Blending Two Worlds: Traditional Aboriginal Healing Strategies for Depression and Anxiety
Official title: Blending Two Worlds: Traditional Aboriginal Healing Strategies for Depression and Anxiety. Possible Options for Children, Youth and Families
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: TERMINATED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Anxiety
Depression
Keywords: traditional healing
anxiety
depression
aboriginal
children
youth
Lead sponsor: Fraser Health
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Ministry of Children and Family Development, British Columbia
First posted: 2008-09-09
Enrollment: 4
Sex: ALL
Maximum age (years): 18
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: SCREENING

Brief summary: 1. Purpose

   1. Provide a culturally sensitive and supportive treatment environment for children, youth and families in the aboriginal community experiencing stress, anxiety and depression.
   2. Gain insight into understanding of the role of Traditional Healing options provided by Aboriginal Healers and Helpers in the management of stress, anxiety and depression.
   3. Encourage Aboriginal and First Nation clients to seek treatment earlier from a culturally supportive system.
2. Hypothesis

This will be a descriptive hypothesis generating research project, however it is anticipated that members of the Aboriginal community experiencing stress, anxiety and depression may experience improved care and outcomes if their treatment includes traditional healing methods. A number of measures of subject and treatment characteristics, stress, anxiety and depression will provide the foundation for triangulation of outcomes in order to describe the impact of the various treatment options (standard care, Traditional Healing, combined standard care and Traditional Healing).

Detailed description: Aboriginal clients, including first nation youth, may not be confident or comfortable with the standard treatments offered by the current Mental Health environment. Incorporating traditional aboriginal healing methods such as dream work, energy healing, healing circles, pipe ceremonies, self care, smudging, sweat lodge and traditional learning into standard practice will provide a culturally sensitive and supportive environment for children, youth and families experiencing stress, anxiety and depression.

It is believed that Aboriginal and First Nation clients that access treatment options consistent with cultural beliefs will be encouraged to seek treatment earlier and will experience improved care and outcomes.

In addition, the improved understanding of the role of traditional healing methods provided by Aboriginal Healers and Helpers in the management of these disorders will help clinicians incorporate these practices in the management of anxiety and depression

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* children and adolescents (less than 18 years of age)and families with anxiety and/or depression attending the Surrey North Child and Youth Mental Health Team.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Subjects with severe anxiety or depression requiring intervention (i.e. hospitalization) or have a past or present history of suicide attempt. Subjects with special needs including medical contraindications (i.e. medical conditions including pregnancy), brain injury, developmental disability or fetal alcohol syndrome). Those subjects unwilling or unable to participate in a Traditional Healing options.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Provide Aboriginal and First Nation youth and their families with treatment options consistent with cultural beliefs. Improving outcomes in the management of anxiety and depression.
timeFrame: Within one year
Secondary outcomes:
measure: 1. Encourage Aboriginal and First Nation clients to seek treatment earlier from a culturally supportive system. 2. Validate the benefit of traditional diet and healing methods in the treatment of stress, anxiety and depression
timeFrame: Within 2 years
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Surrey
country: Canada
facility: Child and Youth Mental Health, Surrey North
state: British Columbia
Study officials:
affiliation: Fraser Health
name: Deborah L Thompson, BScPharm, BCPP, PharmD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
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citation: Zubek EM. Traditional Native healing. Alternative or adjunct to modern medicine? Can Fam Physician. 1994 Nov;40:1923-31.
citation: Buchwald D, Beals J, Manson SM. Use of traditional health practices among Native Americans in a primary care setting. Med Care. 2000 Dec;38(12):1191-9. doi: 10.1097/00005650-200012000-00006.