A task-sharing intervention for prepartum common mental disorders: Feasibility, acceptability and responses in a South African sample

Background: Peripartum common mental disorders (CMD) are highly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) such as South Africa. With limited public mental health resources, task sharing approaches to treatment are showing promise. However, little is known about the feasibility and accepta...

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Main Authors: Spedding, M., Stein, D.J., Naledi, T., Myers-Franchi, Bronwyn, Cuijpers, P., Sorsdahl, K.R.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/85686
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author Spedding, M.
Stein, D.J.
Naledi, T.
Myers-Franchi, Bronwyn
Cuijpers, P.
Sorsdahl, K.R.
author_facet Spedding, M.
Stein, D.J.
Naledi, T.
Myers-Franchi, Bronwyn
Cuijpers, P.
Sorsdahl, K.R.
author_sort Spedding, M.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Background: Peripartum common mental disorders (CMD) are highly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) such as South Africa. With limited public mental health resources, task sharing approaches to treatment are showing promise. However, little is known about the feasibility and acceptability of, as well as responses associated with problem-solving therapy (PST) for the treatment of prepartum CMD symptoms in South African public health settings. Aim: To investigate participants’ preliminary responses to a task sharing PST intervention, and to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. Setting: A Midwife and Obstetrics Unit attached to a Community Health Centre in a Western Cape district. Methods: Using mixed methods, 38 participants’ responses to a PST intervention, and their perceptions of its feasibility and acceptability, were explored. Primary outcomes included psychological distress (Self Reporting Questionnaire; SRQ-20) and depression symptoms (Edinborough Postnatal Depression Scale; EPDS). Semi-structured interviews were conducted three after the last session. Six stakeholders were also interviewed. Results: Significant reductions were seen on EPDS (Cohen's d = 0.61; Hedges g = 0.60) and SRQ-20 (Cohen's d = 0.68; Hedges g = 0.67) scores. The intervention's acceptability lay in the opportunity for confidential disclosure of problems; and in relieving staff of the burden of managing of patients’ distress. Barriers included lack of transport and work commitments. Conclusion: Results support task sharing PST to Registered Counsellors to treat antenatal CMDs in perinatal primary health care settings. Research is needed on how such programmes might be integrated into public health settings, incorporating other non-specialists.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-856862021-10-01T04:10:27Z A task-sharing intervention for prepartum common mental disorders: Feasibility, acceptability and responses in a South African sample Spedding, M. Stein, D.J. Naledi, T. Myers-Franchi, Bronwyn Cuijpers, P. Sorsdahl, K.R. acceptability mental health peripartum care primary healthcare task-sharing Depression, Postpartum Feasibility Studies Female Humans Mental Disorders Poverty Pregnancy Primary Health Care Self Report Background: Peripartum common mental disorders (CMD) are highly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) such as South Africa. With limited public mental health resources, task sharing approaches to treatment are showing promise. However, little is known about the feasibility and acceptability of, as well as responses associated with problem-solving therapy (PST) for the treatment of prepartum CMD symptoms in South African public health settings. Aim: To investigate participants’ preliminary responses to a task sharing PST intervention, and to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. Setting: A Midwife and Obstetrics Unit attached to a Community Health Centre in a Western Cape district. Methods: Using mixed methods, 38 participants’ responses to a PST intervention, and their perceptions of its feasibility and acceptability, were explored. Primary outcomes included psychological distress (Self Reporting Questionnaire; SRQ-20) and depression symptoms (Edinborough Postnatal Depression Scale; EPDS). Semi-structured interviews were conducted three after the last session. Six stakeholders were also interviewed. Results: Significant reductions were seen on EPDS (Cohen's d = 0.61; Hedges g = 0.60) and SRQ-20 (Cohen's d = 0.68; Hedges g = 0.67) scores. The intervention's acceptability lay in the opportunity for confidential disclosure of problems; and in relieving staff of the burden of managing of patients’ distress. Barriers included lack of transport and work commitments. Conclusion: Results support task sharing PST to Registered Counsellors to treat antenatal CMDs in perinatal primary health care settings. Research is needed on how such programmes might be integrated into public health settings, incorporating other non-specialists. 2020 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/85686 10.4102/PHCFM.V12I1.2378 eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 fulltext
spellingShingle acceptability
mental health
peripartum care
primary healthcare
task-sharing
Depression, Postpartum
Feasibility Studies
Female
Humans
Mental Disorders
Poverty
Pregnancy
Primary Health Care
Self Report
Spedding, M.
Stein, D.J.
Naledi, T.
Myers-Franchi, Bronwyn
Cuijpers, P.
Sorsdahl, K.R.
A task-sharing intervention for prepartum common mental disorders: Feasibility, acceptability and responses in a South African sample
title A task-sharing intervention for prepartum common mental disorders: Feasibility, acceptability and responses in a South African sample
title_full A task-sharing intervention for prepartum common mental disorders: Feasibility, acceptability and responses in a South African sample
title_fullStr A task-sharing intervention for prepartum common mental disorders: Feasibility, acceptability and responses in a South African sample
title_full_unstemmed A task-sharing intervention for prepartum common mental disorders: Feasibility, acceptability and responses in a South African sample
title_short A task-sharing intervention for prepartum common mental disorders: Feasibility, acceptability and responses in a South African sample
title_sort task-sharing intervention for prepartum common mental disorders: feasibility, acceptability and responses in a south african sample
topic acceptability
mental health
peripartum care
primary healthcare
task-sharing
Depression, Postpartum
Feasibility Studies
Female
Humans
Mental Disorders
Poverty
Pregnancy
Primary Health Care
Self Report
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/85686