The Impact of a Culturally Adapted Patient Navigator-Led Telehealth Program for Displaced Afghans’ Mental Health

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a culturally- and linguistically-adapted, patient navigator-led telehealth model in expanding mental health access and reducing depression and anxiety symptoms among Afghan refugees resettled across several U.S. states. We conducted a retrospective chart review of electronic medical records from 679 Afghan patients, assessing changes in PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores using paired samples t-tests. Additionally, we explored which patients benefited most, analyzing variations in outcomes based on treatment plans, age, and gender. We observed statistically significant reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms between baseline and follow-up for all treatment groups (p < .001), with large effect sizes ranging from d = 0.80 to 1.06. For example, high-need patients showed a mean PHQ-9 reduction of 4.44 points (d = 1.05) and a GAD-7 reduction of 3.70 points (d = 0.94). The model was equally effective across genders and age groups. This patient navigator-led model demonstrates a promising strategy for improving mental health outcomes among Afghan newcomers. Its success highlights the potential for scalable mental health care solutions to address both clinical symptoms and structural barriers to care.