Treatment of Postnatal Depression for Low-Income Mothers in Primary Care in Santiago, Chile (DPP)

Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico, Chile

Status: Completed

Conditions: Postnatal Depression

Treatments: Other: multi-component intervention; Other: Usual care

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00518830

1040434

Details and patient eligibility

About

A randomized clinical trial was carried out at primary care level in Santiago, Chile to investigate a combined treatment for women suffering post-natal depression and preventing the adverse consequences of this illness on infant's growth and development.

Full description

Background: We compared the effectiveness of a multi-component intervention with usual care to treat postnatal depression among low-income mothers in primary care clinics in Santiago, Chile.

Methods: Randomised controlled trial. Two hundred and thirty mothers with major depression attending postnatal clinics were randomly allocated to either a multi-component intervention or usual care. The multi-component intervention involved a psychoeducational group, treatment adherence support, and pharmacotherapy if needed. Data were analysed on an intention-to-treat basis. The main outcome measure was the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at 3 and 6 months after randomisation.

Enrollment: 230 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Mothers meeting criteria for current DSM-IV major depression were eligible.

Exclusion criteria

• who had received any form of treatment for their depression during their current postnatal period,
• those who were pregnant,
• with psychotic symptoms,
• serious suicidal risk,
• history of mania,
• alcohol or drug abuse

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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230 participants in 2 patient groups

PND-MCI

Experimental group

Description:

The multi-component intervention involved a psychoeducational group, treatment adherence support, and pharmacotherapy if needed

Treatment:

Other: multi-component intervention

usual care

Active Comparator group

Description:

'Usual care' included all services normally available in the clinics, including antidepressant medication, brief psychotherapeutic interventions or referral for specialty treatment

Treatment:

Other: Usual care