A qualitative study on the use of mobile-based intervention for perinatal depression among perinatal mothers in rural Bihar, India

Bibliographic Data

ID19273459
AuthorsUttara Seshu (0000-0002-5915-1191, Innovators in Health (India) Nagar Panchayat, Dalsinghsarai, Samastipur, Bihar, India), Homam A Khan (0000-0002-0534-0640, Innovators in Health (India) Nagar Panchayat, Dalsinghsarai, Samastipur, Bihar, India), Manish Bhardwaj (0000-0001-9615-5741, Innovators in Health (India) Nagar Panchayat, Dalsinghsarai, Samastipur, Bihar, India), C Sangeetha (Schizophrenia Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India), C G Sangeetha (Schizophrenia Research Foundation), G Aarthi (Schizophrenia Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India), Garudam Raveendiran Aarthi (0000-0002-7742-5301, Schizophrenia Research Foundation), Sujit John (0000-0001-7157-3533, Schizophrenia Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India), Rangaswamy Thara (0000-0001-6813-066X, Schizophrenia Research Foundation), Vijaya Raghavan (0000-0001-5517-6175, Schizophrenia Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume67
Issue5
Pages467-471
Publication date2021-08-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Social Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0020-7640 • E-ISSN: 1741-2854
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0020764020966003
PMID33059490
OpenAlexW3092826998
LanguageEN
References cited18

BACKGROUND: Perinatal depression (PND) is one of the most common psychiatric illnesses in women, with a prevalence around 22% in India. Leveraging mobile-based technologies could help in the prevention and treatment of perinatal depression even in remote places. Understanding the experiences and barriers of using such technology interventions by perinatal mothers could help in the better design and in delivery of these interventions. We aimed to study the experiences of the perinatal women using a mobile phone-based intervention, Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS), for the prevention and management of perinatal depression in a rural district of Bihar, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 12 in-depth interviews (IDIs) and one focus group discussion (FGD) with eight participants were conducted with perinatal mothers using the mobile-based IVRS to explore the experiences and perspectives of women receiving mobile phone-based interventions for the treatment of PND. Thematic analysis was done to identify major themes. RESULTS: Five major themes emerged from the study around accessibility, usability, community participation, cost and preference to either intervention. Women found the mobile-based intervention useful as it made them feel lighter. They considered mental health as a health issue and wanted help to address their problems. They became familiar with terms like anxiety, depression, helplessness and burden and bean using them in their conversations. The patients used therapeutic strategies such as breathing, coping and relaxation. They even agreed to take up sessions for their peer group. CONCLUSION: Women in rural Bihar seemed satisfied with the technology-based intervention. It has made mental health issues more visible and acceptable even in the rural hinterlands of Bihar

Anxiety · Focus group · Intervention (counseling) · Mental health · Mobile phone · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Qualitative research · Thematic analysis · Digital Mental Health Interventions · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Medicine · Mobile Health and mHealth Applications · Nursing · Psychology

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