Promotoras Across the Border: A Pilot Study Addressing Depression in Mexican Women Impacted by Migration

The migration of working-aged men from Mexico to the United States fractures the family-centered support structures typical of Latin America and contributes to high levels of depression in women left behind in migratory sending communities in Mexico. Mujeres en Solidaridad Apoyandose (MESA) was developed to improve depression in women through social support in a resource poor setting. MESA is a promotora intervention that trains women in the community to lead social support groups over a five-week period. The MESA curriculum uses a combination of cognitive behavioral theory techniques, psychoeducation, and social support activities aimed at alleviating or preventing depression in women. Results from this pilot efficacy study (n = 39) show that depressed participants at baseline experienced declines in depression as measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale at follow-up. Other findings demonstrate the complexity behind addressing social support and depression for women impacted by migration in different ways.