Brazilian Hospital Leads International Project to Prevent Depression Among Children and Teenagers
Key takeaways
- Backed by £5 million in funding from the Wellcome Trust, the initiative brings together researchers from Brazil, the United Kingdom, the United States, Pakistan and South Africa.
- Coordinated by psychiatrist Christian Kieling, the study uses the Idea-RS risk score, a tool developed in Brazil to identify adolescents more likely to develop the disorder.
- A key feature is the direct participation of young people with lived experience of psychological distress, who will act as consultants in developing preventive interventions.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Backed by £5 million in funding from the Wellcome Trust, the initiative brings together researchers from Brazil, the United Kingdom, the United States, Pakistan and South Africa.
Coordinated by psychiatrist Christian Kieling, the study uses the Idea-RS risk score, a tool developed in Brazil to identify adolescents more likely to develop the disorder. The project will adapt the model to different cultural contexts, analyzing variables such as social media, cyberbullying and biological patterns.
A key feature is the direct participation of young people with lived experience of psychological distress, who will act as consultants in developing preventive interventions. The main focus is on middle- and low-income countries, which account for 90% of the world’s adolescents and have limited access to mental health care. The expectation is to reduce pressure on health systems through early intervention.