Piloting a psychosocial intervention for perinatal depression, the Thinking Healthy Programme–Peer delivered (THPP), in a primary care setting in Lilongwe District, Malawi

Bibliographic Data

ID19591056
AuthorsMwawi Ng’oma (0000-0002-3258-1343, Kamuzu Central Hospital, corresponding author), Najia Atif (0000-0002-9540-9356, Human Development Research Foundation, corresponding author), Samantha Meltzer-Brody, Samantha Meltzer‐Brody (0000-0002-8509-408X, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, corresponding author), Ellen Chirwa (Kamuzu Central Hospital, corresponding author), Robert C Stewart (0000-0002-0413-1388, University of Edinburgh, corresponding author)
EditorsSaloni Dev (0000-0003-3385-7249)
Year2024
Volume4
Issue5
Pagese0002128
Publication date2024-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePLOS Global Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2767-3375 • E-ISSN: 2767-3375
PublisherPublic Library of Science (PLoS) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1371/journal.pgph.0002128
PMID38691572
OpenAlexW4396542891
LanguageEN
References cited46

Despite the evidence for the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for perinatal depression, their uptake is low in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Reasons for this include the lack of contextually adapted interventions and mental health specialists to deliver them. This study aimed to test the acceptability and feasibility of a psychosocial intervention for perinatal depression, the Thinking Healthy Programme–Peer Delivered , adapted for use in rural Malawi. A multi-method evaluation of feasibility and acceptability of the intervention was conducted using a one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design and an exploratory qualitative study. Pre-post intervention change in depression scores (paired t-test) and recruitment, retention and session adherence rates were calculated. Qualitative data were collected through 29 in-depth interviews (22 mothers and 7 peer volunteers) and 1 Focus Group Discussion (18 mothers). Thematic analysis approach was used to analyse qualitative data. Seven (7) out of 8 peer volunteers were successfully trained to deliver the intervention. A total of 31 pregnant women with Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score ≥12 were offered intervention, of whom 24 were enrolled (recruitment rate 77.4%). Out of these 24 women, 22 completed the intervention (retention rate 91.6%). Mean difference between pre- and post-test EPDS scores one week after 8 th session was 7.59 (95% CI 4.98 to 10.19), p

Family medicine · Primary care · Psychiatry · Psychosocial · Breastfeeding Practices and Influences · Infant Development and Preterm Care · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology