title: Measuring social integration in a pilot randomized controlled trial of critical time: intervention-task shifting in Latin America.
abstract: Global mental health movements increasingly highlight the importance of social integration for individuals living with severe mental illnesses. However, this important individual-level outcome is rarely measured in programs. As part of RedeAmericas, a pilot regional randomized controlled trial of critical time intervention - task shifting - will be conducted, which includes social integration as an outcome measure. It is a time-limited care coordination model to enhance continuity of support for people with severe mental illness during critical periods of transition. Given the challenges of measuring social integration, particularly for a multi-country study with unique cultural contexts, this paper has described the measurement approach used to create a composite measure that uses items from disability and quality of life instruments in addition to other key items.
authors.affiliation: FHI 360-Scientist and Postdoctoral Fellow at Columbia University, Department of Epidemiology - New York (NY), USA.
authors.forename: Joy Noel
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.forename: Tatiana Fernandes Carpinteiro
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Eliecer
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Valencia
authors.forename: Ezra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Susser
keywords: interpersonal relations; mental health; social isolation