scholarly journals Experiences with Technology and Telehealth Among Women with Perinatal Depression

Author(s):  
Uma Parameswaran ◽  
Ryoko Pentecost ◽  
Marcia Williams ◽  
Marcela Smid ◽  
Gwen Latendresse

Abstract Background Perinatal depression (PD) affects 10-20% of childbearing women. Telehealth is increasingly utilized for mental health services to increase access to care and overcome COVID-19 pandemic barriers. Women’s perspectives on telehealth services for PD is unknown, however. This study's primary objective was to obtain the perspectives of women who participated in an 8-week group videoconference intervention for PD symptoms, including how technology impacted their experience. Methods We utilized theoretical sampling and included perinatal women who had completed the 8-week mindfulness-based cognitive-behavioral intervention group. Semi-structured focus groups with four to six women were conducted on a videoconference platform. Primary analysis used grounded theory and a secondary analysis used qualitative description and was conducted by two coding teams. The teams collaborated on the final themes across the analyses. Results Three groups, with a total of 17 participants were conducted. Composition consisted of seven postpartum and ten pregnant women from the 47 total participants. Identified core themes regarding their experiences of the videoconference intervention were: positive experiences, negative experiences, suggestions and ideas, and screening and communication. Conclusion This study provides growing evidence informed by perinatal women of positive experiences with engagement in a videoconference intervention for PD. Telehealth may be a reasonable and acceptable platform to increase access and retention for mental health services in childbearing women. Further, this pilot work showcases videoconferencing delivery for a wide range of effective and affordable mental health services in low-resource communities.

2003 ◽  
Vol 183 (6) ◽  
pp. 540-546
Author(s):  
Lynne Jones ◽  
Alban Rrustemi ◽  
Mimoza Shahini ◽  
Aferdita Uka

BackgroundIn war-affected societies it is assumed that the major mental health problem facing the population will be stress reactions.AimsTo describe the creation of a child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) in Kosovo after the military conflict ended in 1999, and to establish the range of problems and diagnoses that presented.MethodData were collected on 559 patients over 2 years, including their referring problems and diagnoses.ResultsStress-related disorders constituted only a fifth of the case-load in year 1. A substantial number of patients were symptom-free but attended because they had been exposed to atraumatic event, and believed it might make them ill. Non-organic enuresis and learning disability were the most common diagnoses in year 2. Many patients had a complex mix of social and psychological difficulties that did not fit conventional diagnostic categories.ConclusionsMental health services that only address traumatic stress may fail to meet the needs of war-affected children. A comprehensive, culturally appropriate CAMHS is needed to address a wide range of problems including learning disability. It should be developed through local actors, and build on existing local infrastructure. Services can also have an educational role in ‘depathologising’ normative responses.


2003 ◽  
Vol 183 (06) ◽  
pp. 540-546 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynne Jones ◽  
Alban Rrustemi ◽  
Mimoza Shahini ◽  
Aferdita Uka

Background In war-affected societies it is assumed that the major mental health problem facing the population will be stress reactions. Aims To describe the creation of a child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) in Kosovo after the military conflict ended in 1999, and to establish the range of problems and diagnoses that presented. Method Data were collected on 559 patients over 2 years, including their referring problems and diagnoses. Results Stress-related disorders constituted only a fifth of the case-load in year 1. A substantial number of patients were symptom-free but attended because they had been exposed to atraumatic event, and believed it might make them ill. Non-organic enuresis and learning disability were the most common diagnoses in year 2. Many patients had a complex mix of social and psychological difficulties that did not fit conventional diagnostic categories. Conclusions Mental health services that only address traumatic stress may fail to meet the needs of war-affected children. A comprehensive, culturally appropriate CAMHS is needed to address a wide range of problems including learning disability. It should be developed through local actors, and build on existing local infrastructure. Services can also have an educational role in ‘depathologising’ normative responses.


1992 ◽  
Vol 16 (01) ◽  
pp. 40-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine M. Tyrie

On a recent study trip I was able to examine approaches to health care, in particular, mental health services in what was West Germany. I visited a range of facilities and met a wide range of professional workers.


2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (8) ◽  
pp. 1615-1624 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Kelleher ◽  
N. Devlin ◽  
J. T. W. Wigman ◽  
A. Kehoe ◽  
A. Murtagh ◽  
...  

BackgroundRecent community-based research has suggested that psychotic experiences act as markers of severity of psychopathology. There has, however, been a lack of clinic-based research. We wished to investigate, in a clinical sample of adolescents referred to a state-funded mental health service, the prevalence of (attenuated or frank) psychotic experiences and the relationship with (i) affective, anxiety and behavioural disorders, (ii) multimorbid psychopathology, (iii) global functioning, and (iv) suicidal behaviour.MethodThe investigation was a clinical case–clinical control study using semi-structured research diagnostic psychiatric assessments in 108 patients newly referred to state adolescent mental health services.ResultsPsychotic experiences were prevalent in a wide range of (non-psychotic) disorders but were strong markers of risk in particular for multimorbid psychopathology (Z = 3.44, p = 0.001). Young people with psychopathology who reported psychotic experiences demonstrated significantly poorer socio-occupational functioning than young people with psychopathology who did not report psychotic experiences, which was not explained by multimorbidity. Psychotic experiences were strong markers of risk for suicidal behaviour. Stratified analyses showed that there was a greatly increased odds of suicide attempts in patients with a major depressive disorder [odds ratio (OR) 8.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.59–49.83], anxiety disorder (OR 15.4, 95% CI 1.85–127.94) or behavioural disorder (OR 3.13, 95% CI 1.11–8.79) who also had psychotic experiences compared with patients who did not report psychotic experiences.ConclusionsPsychotic experiences (attenuated or frank) are an important but under-recognized marker of risk for severe psychopathology, including multimorbidity, poor functioning and suicidal behaviour in young people who present to mental health services.


Author(s):  
Karen Dauncey ◽  
Janet Patterson

This chapter describes, from the authors’ own experience and practice, the workings of a modern rehabilitation ward in an English hospital. It includes some of the authors’ guiding principles, and how some aspects of rehabilitation practice are necessarily different from those in an acute ward. The components, skills, and interventions provided by the team are considered, along with ways in which the care and treatment can be evaluated. A rehabilitation ward is part of a wide range and network of provision for people with severe mental illness and the authors believe that all mental health services in the UK should have rehabilitation provision as a core requirement at district level.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiao Li ◽  
Wenqing Xue ◽  
Wenjie Gong ◽  
Xin Quan ◽  
Quanlei Li ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Immigrant status, acculturation level, race and ethnicity have been found to contribute to the utilization of mental health services in the perinatal period. This study explored perinatal experiences and perceptions among Chinese immigrant mothers and their spouses, as well as the possible barriers and facilitators that affect their health care utilization.Methods: We recruited 13 women ages 18-35 years born in mainland China, living in Rochester, New York, and residing less than five years in the United States, whose primary language was Mandarin Chinese and who had given birth to at least one live infant within the past seven years. Participants’ age was at least 18 years old at the time of delivery. Five spouses also participated. We divided women in two focus groups and held one for men, with data collection including questionnaires and semi-structured focus group interviews conducted in December 2014. Data were analyzed following thematic analysis.Results: Four themes emerged: experiences of perinatal depression; perceptions of perinatal depression; general preventive and coping strategies; and attitude towards mobile health in perinatal period. Participants had limited knowledge of perinatal depression and had difficulty distinguishing between normal perinatal mood fluctuations and more severe symptoms of depression. They discussed immigrant-related stress,conflicts with parents/in-laws while “doing the month”, the perceived gap between the ideal of “perfect moms” and reality, and challenges with parenting as the causes of perinatal depression. Women approved of screening for the condition but were conservative about follow-up interventions. As for the management of perinatal depression, participants preferred to deal with the problem within the family before seeking external help due to potential stigma as well as Chinese traditional culture. However, they were receptive to using mobile health applications to receive information and support.Conclusion: Recent immigrant Chinese parents to the United States had limited knowledge of perinatal depression and did not make full use of mental health services for support due to language and cultural barriers. Future research should explore what interventions may serve as an acceptable approach to overcoming these gaps.Trial registration: Not applicable.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiao Li ◽  
Wenqing Xue ◽  
Wenjie Gong ◽  
Xin Quan ◽  
Quanlei Li ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Immigrant status, acculturation level, race and ethnicity have been found to contribute to the utilization of mental health services in the perinatal period. This study explored perinatal experiences and perceptions among Chinese immigrant mothers and their spouses, as well as the possible barriers and facilitators that affect their health care utilization. Methods We recruited 13 women ages 18–35 years born in mainland China, living in Rochester, New York, and residing less than 5 years in the United States. Participants primary language was Mandarin Chinese and all had given birth to at least one live infant within the past 7 years. Participants’ age was at least 18 years old at the time of delivery. Five spouses also participated. We divided women in two focus groups and held one focus group for men, with data collection including demographic questionnaires and semi-structured focus group questions conducted in December 2014. Data were analyzed following thematic analysis. Results Four themes emerged: experiences of perinatal depression; perceptions of perinatal depression; general preventive and coping strategies; and attitudes toward the supportive use social media applications (apps) and text messaging during the perinatal period. Participants had limited knowledge of perinatal depression and had difficulty distinguishing between normal perinatal mood fluctuations and more severe symptoms of depression. They discussed immigrant-related stress, conflicts with parents/in-laws while “doing the month”, the perceived gap between the ideal of “perfect moms” and reality, and challenges with parenting as the causes of perinatal depression. Women approved of screening for the condition but were conservative about follow-up interventions. As for the management of perinatal depression, participants preferred to deal with the problem within the family before seeking external help, due to potential stigma as well as Chinese traditional culture. They were receptive to obtaining pertinent health information from anonymous social media apps, preferring these to personal text messages. Conclusion The recent immigrant Chinese parents to the United States in the study had limited knowledge of perinatal depression and did not make full use of mental health services for support due to language and cultural barriers. Screening for perinatal depression is only the first step. Future research should explore what interventions may serve as an acceptable approach to overcoming these gaps.


1991 ◽  
Vol 159 (4) ◽  
pp. 481-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Tarrier ◽  
Karen Lowson ◽  
Christine Barrowclough

The direct costs to the mental health services for patients who participated in a trial of a behavioural family intervention to reduce schizophrenic relapse were estimated. Comparisons were made between two patient groups from households of high expressed emotion (HEE): one group received a nine-month family intervention (HEE Intervention) and the other group routine treatment (HEE Control). A third group consisted of patients from low-EE households (LEE Control). The significant decrease in relapse rates in the HEE Intervention group compared with the HEE Control group has previously been reported; the analysis of costs indicates that any increase in costs due to the family intervention is outweighed by a decrease in usage of the established mental health services. The intervention resulted in a decrease of 27% in mean cost per patient.


1999 ◽  
Vol 174 (5) ◽  
pp. 409-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Orrell ◽  
Paula Yard ◽  
Julia Handysides ◽  
Robert Schapira

BackgroundThe Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) have been developed for assessing the effectiveness of mental health services.AimsTo investigate the validity and reliability of the HoNOS in patients in contact with mental health services.MethodSubjects (age range 19–64) came from day hospitals, acute in-patient units and out-patient clinics in general practice. We obtained the opinions of experienced professionals, advocacy groups and patient groups to evaluate consensual and content validity.ResultsOne hundred patients were assessed using the package of rating scales. Interrater and test–retest reliability were good for some items and poor for others. The HoNOS had good criterion validity: acute in-patients had higher scores than day patients and out-patients. HoNOS also had good concurrent validity, correlating well with other scales. Comments suggested that the HoNOS was a useful and suitable scale for this population but psychotic symptoms and certain social factors were not sufficiently covered.ConclusionThe HoNOS had good validity but variable reliability. It may be better than existing scales because of the wide range of areas which it covers.


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