BACKGROUND
The Mothers and Babies Course (MB) was recognized by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force as an evidence-based prevention of postpartum depression (PPD) intervention that should be recommended to pregnant women at risk for PPD.
OBJECTIVE
This report examines the feasibility and acceptability of enhancing the MB 1-on-1 intervention with the addition of 36 short message service (SMS) text messages that targeted three areas: reinforcement of skills, between session homework reminders, and responding to self-monitoring texts (MB-TXT).
METHODS
In partnership with 9 home visiting programs, 28 ethnically and racially diverse pregnant women (M=25.6 weeks, SD=9.0) received the MB-TXT. Feasibility was defined by home visitors’ adherence to logging into the HealthySMS platform to enter session data and trigger text messages within seven days of the in-person session. Acceptability of MB-TXT was measured by participants’ usefulness and understanding ratings of the text messages and responses to the self-monitoring text messages.
RESULTS
On average, home visitors followed the study protocol and entered session-specific data between 5.50-61.17 days following MB 1-on-1 sessions and indicated that participants completed the between session homework almost half the time (M=5.36, SD=3.71). Participants responded to self-monitoring texts at a high level (89.3%) and rated the text message content as very useful and understandable.
CONCLUSIONS
This report contributes to a growing line of research focused on digital adaptations of MB. SMS is a low-cost, accessible digital tool that can be easily integrated into existing interventions, and implemented in community-based organizations and healthcare systems that serve women at risk for PPD.
CLINICALTRIAL
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03420755
Feasibility and acceptability of integrating SMS into a postpartum depression preventive intervention delivered in home visitation programs (Preprint)