The proposed project would focus on analyzing quantitative data from a 4 year NIMH-funded study entitled “Integrating evidence-based depression treatment in primary care: Tuberculosis (TB) in Brazil as a model” (PI: Sweetland, K01MH104514). The aim of the study was to assess whether social network analysis could be used to leverage the receptivity and connectivity of TB providers in a Brazilian public health system in a way that could accelerate the adoption (implementation) and diffusion (dissemination) of an evidence-based treatment for depression treatment in a primary care network. Baseline receptivity was operationalized via six brief quantitative scales to measure mental health literacy, work self-efficacy, organizational climate, attitudes towards evidence-based practices, organizational readiness to change and individual innovation thresholds. Connectivity was assessed by asking TB providers with whom they discuss difficult cases, give advice to, or receive advice regarding difficult TB cases. Baseline receptivity and connectivity data was used to identify 3 pilot sites in which to train primary care providers to deliver evidence-based depression treatment for one year.

Using repeat receptivity assessment following the pilot the student(s) will help to explore the central hypothesis of whether any observed changes in receptivity between baseline and year 3 can be attributed to the higher connectivity of individuals from the pilot sites. Time and interest permitting, students will also have the opportunity to participate in numerous sub-analyses of these data, including the triangulation of these quantitative data with longitudinal qualitative data in mixed-methods analyses.

This is an UNPAID research project.

Faculty Advisor

  • Professor: Annika Sweetland, DrPH, MSW
  • Department/School: Psychiatry, Translational Epidemiology, and Sociomedical Sciences
  • Dr. Annika Sweetland is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Sociomedical Sciences in Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons/Mailman School of Public Health. For the past 20 years, she has conducted global mental health research in Latin America (Peru, Haiti, Brazil), Africa (Nigeria, Mozambique, South Africa) and the United States, with a topical focus on tuberculosis (TB) and depression.

Project Timeline

  • Earliest starting date: Flexible, based on student availability
  • End date:
  • Number of hours per week of research expected during Fall 2020: Flexible, based on student availability
  • This project is ongoing – there is a lot of data to be analyzed so, so if the student is a good fit there is potential for several additional sub-analyses

Candidate requirements

  • Skill sets:
    • Social network statistical analysis and software (e.g. UCINET, NetDraw, R or equivalent)
    • Data versioning and management
    • Data cleaning
    • Combining data sources
    • Exploratory data analysis and visualization
    • Establishing evaluation metrics
    • Working with time series data
  • Student eligibility: freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, master’s
  • International students on F1 or J1 visa: eligible
  • Academic Credit Possible: Yes