Advancing Screening for and Access to Mental Health Services in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

This study assesses the potential transformative role of digital tools for screening and delivering mental health services in conflict-affected regions. It will take place in Bukavu and Goma, the two largest cities in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where ongoing conflict and mass displacement have created an urgent mental health crisis. We first evaluate the potential of a novel AI-powered technology to identify voice biomarkers of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. The language-independent and content-agnostic tool is low-cost and scalable and would thus constitute a major advance in mental health screening, where traditional methods are costly, time-consuming, and prone to inaccuracies.

Approximately 3,000 individuals will undergo three types of assessments:

1. Self-reports using validated tools (PHQ-9, GAD-7, PCL-5)

2. Clinical evaluations conducted by trained health workers

3. AI-powered analyses of 30-second-long voice recordings

We will compare the accuracy and cost-efficiency of self-reports and AI tools against clinical assessments considered to be the gold standard.

Next, we examine whether digital delivery of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) can improve the well-being of conflict-affected populations. The intervention uses Self-Help Plus (SH+), a WHO-developed program consisting of five short sessions, delivered through a mobile app. Given widespread cellphone access in the region and SH+ already available in Swahili, this digital approach reduces many traditional barriers to care. In addition to mental health improvements, we will measure changes in broader life outcomes. The study is undertaken in partnership with the Official University of Bukavu, the psychiatric center SOSAME, and Kintsugi Health.