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African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine

On-line version ISSN 2071-2936
Print version ISSN 2071-2928

Abstract

SPEDDING, Maxine et al. A task-sharing intervention for prepartum common mental disorders: Feasibility, acceptability and responses in a South African sample. Afr. j. prim. health care fam. med. (Online) [online]. 2020, vol.12, n.1, pp.1-9. ISSN 2071-2936.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/phcfm.v12i1.2378.

BACKGROUND: Peripartum common mental disorders (CMD) are highly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) such as South Africa. With limited public mental health resources, task sharing approaches to treatment are showing promise. However, little is known about the feasibility and acceptability of, as well as responses associated with problem-solving therapy (PST) for the treatment of prepartum CMD symptoms in South African public health settings AIM: To investigate participants' preliminary responses to a task sharing PST intervention, and to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention SETTING: A Midwife and Obstetrics Unit attached to a Community Health Centre in a Western Cape district METHODS: Using mixed methods, 38 participants' responses to a PST intervention, and their perceptions of its feasibility and acceptability, were explored. Primary outcomes included psychological distress (Self Reporting Questionnaire; SRQ-20) and depression symptoms (Edinborough Postnatal Depression Scale; EPDS). Semi-structured interviews were conducted three after the last session. Six stakeholders were also interviewed RESULTS: Significant reductions were seen on EPDS (Cohen's d = 0.61; Hedges g = 0.60) and SRQ-20 (Cohen's d = 0.68; Hedges g = 0.67) scores. The intervention's acceptability lay in the opportunity for confidential disclosure of problems; and in relieving staff of the burden of managing of patients' distress. Barriers included lack of transport and work commitments CONCLUSION: Results support task sharing PST to Registered Counsellors to treat antenatal CMDs in perinatal primary health care settings. Research is needed on how such programmes might be integrated into public health settings, incorporating other non-specialists

Keywords : primary healthcare; task-sharing; mental health; acceptability; peripartum care.

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