Maternal Depression Treatment in HIV (M-DEPTH)

Depression Care to Improve Adherence to Prevention of Mother-to-Child-Transmission (PMTCT) Care Continuum & Pregnancy Outcomes

Cluster randomized controlled trial to compare the effects of task-shifted, evidence-based depression care vs. usual care on adherence to each step of the prevention of mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT) care cascade at 8 antenatal care (ANC) clinics in Uganda.

This study is a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) to compare the effects of task-shifted, evidence-based depression care vs. usual care on adherence to each step of the PMTCT care cascade at 8 ANC clinics in Uganda. At 4 experimental sites, task-shifted, depression care will include (1) depression screening and psychoeducation, (2) depression diagnosis, and (3) provision of evidence-based problem solving therapy (PST), or antidepressant therapy (ADT) for those with severe and refractory depression (or who decline PST), to be implemented by trained peer mothers and midwife nurses, respectively. The 4 control sites will use usual care services for managing depression, which consist of referrals to a mental health specialist and access to the Family Support Group program (comprehensive, monthly multi-session psychosocial program to enhance pregnancy management and PMTCT adherence). At each site, 50 HIV-positive newly pregnant women (total n=400) who screen positive for potential depression will be enrolled and followed until 18-months post-delivery to assess how depression and depression alleviation relate to primary (adherence to each component of the PMTCT care continuum, maternal virologic suppression) and secondary (infant HIV status; post-natal maternal and child health outcomes) outcomes, as well as processes of depression care (treatment uptake and depression alleviation among clinically depressed patients). A cost-effectiveness analysis will be used to compare the two study arms.

Cluster randomized controlled trial with 4 sites randomly assigned to implement evidence-based depression care in addition to usual care and 4 sites randomly assigned to implement usual care only

Task-shifted depression care, consisting of (1) depression screening and psychoeducation, (2) depression diagnosis, and (3) evidence-based problem solving therapy (PST) or antidepressant therapy (ADT; for those with severe and refractory depression, or who decline PST), to be implemented by trained peer mothers and midwife nurses in addition to usual care.

Usual care processes for treating depression consist of referrals to mental health specialists and access to the Family Support Group program (a nation wide Ministry of Health program for HIV+ women at public ANC clinics, consisting of monthly sessions designed to provide psychosocial support and education to promote pregnancy management and PMTCT adherence).

We will use a stepped care approach to depression treatment. Participants with clinical depression (defined as PHQ-9>9) will be offered either Problem Solving Therapy (PST) or Antidepressant Therapy (ADT), but those with moderate to moderately severe depression will be recommended PST, while those with severe depression will be recommended ADT. Participants with subthreshold depressive symptoms (PHQ-9: 5-9) will receive depression psychoeducation and continued depressive monitoring.

Proportion of participants who continue to attend antenatal care (ANC) visits as measured by chart abstraction

Proportion of participants who delivery their baby of in a health facility as measured by chart abstraction

Proportion of delivered infants who receive uniform feeding method (breastfeeding or formula) as documented by self-report

Proportion of delivered infants who are tested for HIV at all specified intervals, as measured by chart abstraction

Inclusion Criteria: detection of pregnancy through 24 weeks gestation (to ensure at least 12 weeks remaining antenatal period for assessing adherence to all stages of PMTCT care cascade) HIV-positive positive screen for potential depression on 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2>0) on ART for at least 4 weeks Exclusion Criteria: unstable health (about to start ART or on ART < 4 weeks; active, untreated opportunistic infection)

We will make the data publicly available in the form of an electronic database for researchers who successfully complete a registration process. Data will be de-identified. We will provide documentation in the form of a codebook in which each variable name and response options are defined. Users must agree to the conditions of use governing access to the public release data. Users must submit brief proposals regarding intended use of the data; the study team will determine the scientific soundness of the proposal, as well as whether adequate data protections in place, as part of the decision for the researcher to be able to access the public use dataset.

Users must submit brief proposals regarding intended use of the data; the study team will determine the scientific soundness of the proposal, as well as whether adequate data protections in place, as part of the decision for the researcher to be able to access the public use dataset.

Wagner GJ, Gwokyalya V, Akena D, Nakigudde J, McBain R, Faherty L, Ngo V, Nakku J, Kyohangirwe L, Banegura A, Beyeza-Kashesya J, Wanyenze RK. Stressors and Maladaptive Coping Mechanisms Associated with Elevated Perinatal Depressive Symptoms and Suicidality Among Women Living with HIV in Uganda. Int J Behav Med. 2023 Oct;30(5):743-752. doi: 10.1007/s12529-022-10124-3. Epub 2022 Sep 20.

Wagner GJ, McBain RK, Akena D, Ngo V, Nakigudde J, Nakku J, Chemusto H, Beyeza-Kashesya J, Gwokyalya V, Faherty LJ, Kyohangirwe L, Nabitaka LK, Lukwata H, Linnemayr S, Ghosh-Dastidar B, Businge J, Mukasa B, Wanyenze RK. Maternal depression treatment in HIV (M-DEPTH): Study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019 Jul;98(27):e16329. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000016329.