Effect of an Indonesian Culture-Based Cadre Empowerment Module on the Early Detection Ability of Mental Health

Aims: The incidence of mental disorders continues to rise annually, a trend that is exacerbated by the inability to detect early mental health issues in the community and the inadequate reporting of such conditions. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of interventions that distribute culture-based cadre empowerment modules to improve cadres’ early awareness of mental health issues. Materials Methods: This experimental study, with a pre-post design, was conducted from March to May 2023 in Lamongan, Indonesia. One hundred two cadres were selected by purposive sampling technique and were divided into an intervention group (n=51) and a control group (n=51). The intervention constituted culture-based cadre empowerment training via discussion forums and modules. The participants were evaluated by independent assessors before randomization (T0) and in a posttest following eight weeks of intervention (T1). Findings: The intervention group could detect risks of psychosocial problems, the ability to see behavior or signs of mental symptoms, the ability to supervise, the ability to mobilize, and the ability to document in the sufficient category. There were no significant differences between the mean of control and intervention groups in the dimensions of mental health detection ability except the risk detection ability for psychological problems (p=0.025). Conclusion: Culture-based cadre empowerment is a short, easy-to-use, group-based intervention to increase cadres’ ability to detect mental health in the community.