Siham Sikander

Cognitive behaviour therapy-based intervention by community health workers for mothers with depression and their infants in rural Pakistan: a cluster-randomised controlled trial

Summary Background The treatment of perinatal depression is a public-health priority because of its high prevalence and association with disability and poor infant development. We integrated a cognitive behaviour therapy-based intervention into the routine work of community-based primary health workers in rural Pakistan and assessed the effect of this intervention on maternal depression and infant outcomes. Methods We randomly assigned 40 Union Council clusters in rural Rawalpindi, Pakistan, in equal numbers to intervention or control. Married women (aged 16–45 years) in their third trimester of pregnancy with perinatal depression were eligible to participate. In the intervention group, primary health workers were trained to deliver the psychological intervention, whereas in the control group untrained health workers made an equal number of visits to the depressed mothers. The primary outcomes were infant weight and height at 6 months and 12 months, and secondary outcome was maternal depression. The interviewers were unaware of what group the participants were assigned to. Analysis was by intention to treat. The study is registered as ISRCTN65316374. Findings The number of clusters per group was 20, with 463 mothers in the intervention group and 440 in the control group. At 6 months, 97 (23%) of 418 and 211 (53%) of 400 mothers in the intervention and control groups, respectively, met the criteria for major depression (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0·22, 95% CI 0·14 to 0·36, p<0·0001). These effects were sustained at 12 months (111/412 [27%] vs 226/386 [59%], adjusted OR 0·23, 95% CI 0·15 to 0·36, p<0·0001). The differences in weight-for-age and height-for-age Z scores for infants in the two groups were not significant at 6 months (−0·83 vs −0·86, p=0·7 and −2·03 vs −2·16, p=0·3, respectively) or 12 months (−0·64 vs −0·8, p=0·3 and −1·10 vs −1·36, p=0·07, respectively). Interpretation This psychological intervention delivered by community-based primary health workers has the potential to be integrated into health systems in resource-poor settings. Funding Wellcome Trust.

The content and delivery of psychological interventions for perinatal depression by non-specialist health workers in low and middle income countries: A systematic review

Psychological interventions delivered by non-specialist health workers are effective for the treatment of perinatal depression in low- and middle-income countries. In this systematic review, we describe the content and delivery of such interventions. Nine studies were identified. The interventions shared a number of key features, such as delivery provided within the context of routine maternal and child health care beginning in the antenatal period and extending postnatally; focus of the intervention beyond the mother to include the child and involving other family members; and attention to social problems and a focus on empowerment of women. All the interventions were adapted for contextual and cultural relevance; for example, in domains of language, metaphors and content. Although the competence and quality of non-specialist health workers delivered interventions was expected to be achieved through structured training and ongoing supervision, empirical evaluations of these were scarce. Scalability of these interventions also remains a challenge and needs further attention.

Contribution of suicide and injuries to pregnancy-related mortality in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Although suicide is one of the leading causes of deaths in young women in low-income and middle-income countries, the contribution of suicide and injuries to pregnancy-related mortality remains unknown. METHODS We did a systematic review to identify studies reporting the proportion of pregnancy-related deaths attributable to suicide or injuries, or both, in low-income and middle-income countries. We used a random-effects meta-analysis to calculate the pooled prevalence of pregnancy-related deaths attributable to suicide, stratified by WHO region. To account for the possible misclassification of suicide deaths as injuries, we calculated the pooled prevalence of deaths attributable to injuries, and undertook a sensitivity analysis reclassifying the leading methods of suicides among women in low-income and middle-income countries (burns, poisoning, falling, or drowning) as suicide. FINDINGS We identified 36 studies from 21 countries. The pooled total prevalence across the regions was 1·00% for suicide (95% CI 0·54-1·57) and 5·06% for injuries (3·72-6·58). Reclassifying the leading suicide methods from injuries to suicide increased the pooled prevalence of pregnancy-related deaths attributed to suicide to 1·68% (1·09-2·37). Americas (3·03%, 1·20-5·49), the eastern Mediterranean region (3·55%, 0·37-9·37), and the southeast Asia region (2·19%, 1·04-3·68) had the highest prevalence for suicide, with the western Pacific (1·16%, 0·00-4·67) and Africa (0·65%, 0·45-0·88) regions having the lowest. INTERPRETATION The available data suggest a modest contribution of injuries and suicide to pregnancy-related mortality in low-income and middle-income countries with wide regional variations. However, this study might have underestimated suicide deaths because of the absence of recognition and inclusion of these causes in eligible studies. We recommend that injury-related and other co-incidental causes of death are included in the WHO definition of maternal mortality to promote measurement and effective intervention for reduction of maternal mortality in low-income and middle-income countries. FUNDING National Institute of Mental Health.

Effective treatment of perinatal depression for women in debt and lacking financial empowerment in a low-income country

Background Poverty may moderate the effect of treatment of depression in low-income countries. Aims To assess poverty and lack of empowerment as moderators of a cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT)-based intervention for perinatal depression in rural Pakistan. Method Using secondary analysis of data from a randomised controlled trial (trial registration: ISRCTN65316374) we identified predictors of depression at 1-year follow-up and moderators of the intervention (n = 791). Results Predictors of follow-up depression included household debt, the participant not being empowered to manage household finance and the interaction terms for these variables with the trial arm. Effect sizes for women with and without household debt were 0.80 and 0.55 respectively. The effect size for women in debt and not empowered financially was 0.94 compared with 0.50 for women with neither of these factors. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate the importance of household debt and lack of financial empowerment of women as important maintaining factors of depression in low-income countries and our locally developed intervention tackled these problems successfully.

Effect of an early perinatal depression intervention on long-term child development outcomes: follow-up of the Thinking Healthy Programme randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND Perinatal depression has been linked with deleterious child development outcomes, yet maternal depression interventions have not been shown to have lasting effects on child development, and evidence is not available from countries of low or middle income. In the Thinking Healthy Programme cluster-randomised controlled trial, a perinatal depression intervention was assessed in Pakistan in 2006-07. The intervention significantly reduced depression levels 12 months post partum compared with a control. We aimed to assess the effect of this same intervention on the cognitive, socioemotional, and physical development of children at around age 7 years. METHODS Mother-child dyads who participated in the Thinking Healthy Programme cluster-randomised controlled trial were interviewed when the index child was about 7 years old. A reference group of 300 mothers who did not have prenatal depression and, therefore, did not receive the original intervention, was enrolled with their children at the same time. The primary cognitive outcome was the score on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-IV); primary socioemotional outcomes included scores on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Spence Childrens Anxiety Scale (SCAS); and primary physical outcomes were height-for-age, weight-for-age, and body-mass index (BMI)-for-age Z scores. Generalised linear modelling with random effects to account for clustering was the main method of analysis. Analyses were by intention to treat. The Thinking Healthy Programme cluster-randomised trial was registered at ISRCTN.com, number ISRCTN65316374. FINDINGS Of 705 participating mother-child dyads interviewed at the end of the Thinking Healthy Programme randomised controlled trial, 584 (83%) dyads were enrolled. 289 mothers had received the intervention and 295 had received a control consisting of enhanced usual care. The mean age of the children was 7·6 years (SD 0·1). Overall, cognitive, socioemotional, or physical development outcomes did not differ between children in the intervention or control groups whose mothers had prenatal depression. When compared with the reference group of children whose mothers did not have prenatal depression, the Thinking Healthy Programme trial children had worse socioemotional outcomes; mean scores were significantly higher on the SDQ for total difficulty (11·34 vs 10·35; mean difference 0·78, 95% CI 0·09-1·47; p=0·03) and on the SCAS for anxiety (21·33 vs 17·57; mean difference 2·93, 1·15-4·71; p=0·0013). Cognitive and physical outcomes did not differ. INTERPRETATION Our findings show that cognitive, socioemotional, and physical developmental outcomes of children at age 7 years whose mother had prenatal depression did not differ between those who received the Thinking Healthy Programme intervention and those who received the control. Further investigation is needed to understand what types of complex interventions or approaches are needed for long-term gains in maternal and child wellbeing. Prolonged, detailed, and frequent follow-up is warranted for all interventions. FUNDING Grand Challenges Canada (Government of Canada), Saving Brains programme.

Integrating maternal psychosocial well-being into a child-development intervention: the five-pillars approach

Maternal psychosocial well‐being (MPW) is a wide‐ranging concept that encompasses the psychological (e.g., mental health, distress, anxiety, depression, coping, problem solving) and social (e.g., family and community support, empowerment, culture) aspects of motherhood. Evidence‐based MPW interventions that can be integrated into large‐scale maternal and child health programs have not been developed. Building on several years of research in Pakistan, we developed and integrated a cognitive behavioral therapy–based MPW intervention (the five‐pillars approach) into a child nutrition and development program. Following formative research with community health workers (CHWs; n = 40) and families (n = 37), CHWs were trained in (1) empathic listening, (2) family engagement, (3) guided discovery using pictures, (4) behavioral activation, and (5) problem solving. A qualitative feasibility study in one area demonstrated that CHWs were able to apply these skills effectively to their work, and the approach was found to be useful by CHWs, mothers, and their families. The success of the approach can be attributed to (1) mothers being the central focus of the intervention, (2) using local CHWs whom the mothers trust, (3) simplified training and regular supervision, and (4) an approach that facilitates, not adds, to the CHWs’ work.

Understanding care and feeding practices: building blocks for a sustainable intervention in India and Pakistan

Undernutrition and inadequate stimulation both negatively influence child health and development and have a long‐term impact on school attainment and income. This paper reports data from India and Pakistan looking at how families interact, play with, and feed children; their expectations of growth and development; and the perceived benefits, consequences, opportunities, and barriers of adopting recommended feeding and developmental behaviors. These data were collected as part of formative research for the Sustainable Program Incorporating Nutrition and Games (SPRING) trial. This trial aims to deliver an innovative, feasible, affordable, and sustainable intervention that can achieve delivery at a scale of known effective interventions that maximize child development, growth, and survival and improve maternal psychosocial well‐being in rural India and Pakistan.

Cognitive-Behavioral Counseling for Exclusive Breastfeeding in Rural Pediatrics: A Cluster RCT

OBJECTIVE: To test the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral counseling on the rate and duration of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) during the first 6 months of an infant’s life compared with routine counseling. METHODS: A single blind cluster-randomized controlled trial was undertaken in 40 Union Councils of a rural district in the northwest province of Pakistan between May 2009 and April 2010. By simple unmatched randomization, 20 Union Councils were each allocated to intervention and control arms. Two hundred twenty-four third trimester pregnant women in the intervention and 228 third trimester pregnant women in the control arm were enrolled and followed-up biweekly until 6 months postpartum. Analyses were by intention to treat. Mothers in the intervention group received 7 sessions of cognitive-behavioral counseling from antenatal to 6 months postpartum, whereas the control group received an equal number of routine sessions. Proportion of mothers exclusively breastfeeding at 6 months postpartum and duration of EBF through these 6 months was assessed. RESULTS: At 6 months postpartum, 59.6% of mothers in the intervention arm and 28.6% in the control arm were exclusively breastfeeding. This translates into a 60% reduced risk of stopping exclusively breastfeeding during the first 6 months (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.40 [95% confidence interval: 0.27–0.60], P < .001). Mothers in the intervention group were half as likely to use prelacteal feeds with their infants (adjusted relative risk, 0.51 [95% confidence interval: 0.34–0.78]). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with routine counseling, cognitive-behavioral counseling significantly prolonged the duration of EBF, doubling the rates of EBF at 6 months postpartum.

Someone like us: delivering maternal mental health through peers in two South Asian contexts.

BACKGROUND Peer-led psychosocial interventions are one solution to address the great paucity of skilled mental health human resources in South Asia. The aim of this study was to explore peer-delivered care for maternal depression in two diverse contexts in South Asia. METHODS The study was carried out in the urban setting of Goa, India and rural setting in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. In total, 61 in-depth interviews (IDIs) and 3 focus group discussions (FGDs), and 38 IDIs and 10 FGDs, were conducted with multiple stakeholders in urban Goa and rural Rawalpindi respectively. We used the framework approach to analyze data. RESULTS Peers from the same community were the most preferred delivery agents of a community-based psychosocial intervention in both sites. There were contextual similarities and differences between the two sites. Preferred characteristics among peers included local, middle-aged, educated mothers with similar experiences to participants, good communication skills and a good character. Key differences between the two contexts included a greater emphasis on the peer׳s family social standing in rural Rawalpindi and financial incentives as motivators for individual peers in urban Goa. LIMITATIONS Generalizability of our findings is limited to two specific contexts in a vast and diverse region. DISCUSSION Our study demonstrates that peers have the potential to deliver maternal psychosocial interventions in low-income settings. There are contextual differences in the preferred characteristics and motivators between the sites, and these should be carefully considered in program implementation.

The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the peer-delivered Thinking Healthy Programme for perinatal depression in Pakistan and India: the SHARE study protocol for randomised controlled trials

BackgroundRates of perinatal depression (antenatal and postnatal depression) in South Asia are among the highest in the world. The delivery of effective psychological treatments for perinatal depression through existing health systems is a challenge due to a lack of human resources.This paper reports on a trial protocol that aims to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Thinking Healthy Programme delivered by peers (Thinking Healthy Programme Peer-delivered; THPP), for women with moderate to severe perinatal depression in rural and urban settings in Pakistan and India.Methods/DesignTHPP is evaluated with two randomised controlled trials: a cluster trial in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and an individually randomised trial in Goa, India. Trial participants are pregnant women who are registered with the lady health workers in the study area in Pakistan and pregnant women attending outpatient antenatal clinics in India. They will be screened using the patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression symptoms and will be eligible if their PHQ-9 is equal to or greater than 10 (PHQ-9 ≥ 10). The sample size will be 560 and 280 women in Pakistan and India, respectively. Women in the intervention arm (THPP) will be offered ten individual and four group sessions (Pakistan) or 6–14 individual sessions (India) delivered by a peer (defined as a mother from the same community who is trained and supervised in delivering the intervention). Women in the control arm (enhanced usual care) will receive health care as usual, enhanced by providing the gynaecologist or primary-health facilities with adapted WHO mhGAP guidelines for depression treatment, and providing the woman with her diagnosis and information on how to seek help for herself. The primary outcomes are remission and severity of depression symptoms at the 6-month postnatal follow-up. Secondary outcomes include remission and severity of depression symptoms at the 3-month postnatal follow-up, functional disability, perceived social support, breastfeeding rates, infant height and weight, and costs of health care at the 3- and 6-month postnatal follow-ups. The primary analysis will be intention-to-treat.DiscussionThe trials have the potential to strengthen the evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an evidence-based psychological treatment recommended by the World Health Organisation and delivered by peers for perinatal depression. The trials have the unique opportunity to overcome the shortage of human resources in global mental health and may advance our understanding about the use of peers who work in partnership with the existing health systems in low-resource settings.Trial registrationPakistan Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT02111915 (9 April 2014)India Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT02104232 (1 April 2014)