OBJECTIVES: To examine the feasibility and effectiveness of a village-based multilevel intervention for late-life depression, focusing on strengthening the autonomy of village-dwellers with help from the community mental health service (CMHS).~DESIGN: A community-based randomized trial with participants (all village-dwellers) assigned to two parallel programs: intervention program or the CMHS's usual care.~SETTING: Two small villages in a rural area of South Korea~PARTICIPANTS: All older adults (aged ≥65 years) living in the two villages were included in the intervention or the CMHS's usual care, and the effectiveness of the program was examined using representative samples who were age- and sex-stratified randomly selected from both groups.~INTERVENTION: A 12-week intervention was comprised of individual-based risk-stratified case management and group-based activities.~MEASUREMENTS: The Korean version of Geriatric Depression Scale-Short form (SGDS-K) was used as the primary outcome while depressive episodes, suicidal ideation/plans/attempts, social network, functional status, and global cognitive function were measured as secondary outcomes.
Investigators aimed to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of a village-based multilevel intervention for late-life depression. Two small rural villages in rural South Korea were selected as the intervention group and active control. All older adults living in the two villages were included in the intervention program or received standard CMHS care, and the effectiveness of the program was examined using representative samples from both groups.