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Wearable Digital Sensors to Identify Risks of Postpartum Depression and Personalize Psychological Treatment for Adolescent Mothers: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Exploratory Study in Rural Nepal.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Poudyal, A; van Heerden, A; Hagaman, A; Maharjan, SM; Byanjankar, P; Subba, P; Kohrt, BA
Published in: JMIR Res Protoc
September 11, 2019

BACKGROUND: There is a high prevalence of untreated postpartum depression among adolescent mothers with the greatest gap in services in low- and middle-income countries. Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of nonspecialists to provide mental health services for postpartum depression in these low-resource settings. However, there is inconsistency in short-term and long-term benefits from the interventions. Passive sensing data generated from wearable digital devices can be used to more accurately distinguish which mothers will benefit from psychological services. In addition, wearable digital sensors can be used to passively collect data to personalize care for mothers. Therefore, wearable passive sensing technology has the potential to improve outcomes from psychological treatments for postpartum depression. OBJECTIVE: This study will explore the use of wearable digital sensors for two objectives: First, we will pilot test using wearable sensors to generate passive sensing data that distinguish adolescent mothers with depression from those without depression. Second, we will explore how nonspecialists can integrate data from passive sensing technologies to better personalize psychological treatment. METHODS: This study will be conducted in rural Nepal with participatory involvement of adolescent mothers and health care stakeholders through a community advisory board. The first study objective will be addressed by comparing behavioral patterns of adolescent mothers without depression (n=20) and with depression (n=20). The behavioral patterns will be generated by wearable digital devices collecting data in 4 domains: (1) the physical activity of mothers using accelerometer data on mobile phones, (2) the geographic range and routine of mothers using GPS (Global Positioning System) data collected from mobile phones, (3) the time and routine of adolescent mothers with their infants using proximity data collected from Bluetooth beacons, and (4) the verbal stimulation and auditory environment for mothers and infants using episodic audio recordings on mobile phones. For the second objective, the same 4 domains of data will be collected and shared with nonspecialists who are delivering an evidence-based behavioral activation intervention to the depressed adolescent mothers. Over 5 weeks of the intervention, we will document how passive sensing data are used by nonspecialists to personalize the intervention. In addition, qualitative data on feasibility and acceptability of passive data collection will be collected for both objectives. RESULTS: To date, a community advisory board comprising young women and health workers engaged with adolescent mothers has been established. The study is open for recruitment, and data collection is anticipated to be completed in November 2019. CONCLUSIONS: Integration of passive sensing data in public health and clinical programs for mothers at risk of perinatal mental health problems has the potential to more accurately identify who will benefit from services and increase the effectiveness by personalizing psychological interventions. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/14734.

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Published In

JMIR Res Protoc

DOI

ISSN

1929-0748

Publication Date

September 11, 2019

Volume

8

Issue

8

Start / End Page

e14734

Location

Canada

Related Subject Headings

  • 4206 Public health
  • 4203 Health services and systems
  • 1117 Public Health and Health Services
  • 1103 Clinical Sciences
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Poudyal, A., van Heerden, A., Hagaman, A., Maharjan, S. M., Byanjankar, P., Subba, P., & Kohrt, B. A. (2019). Wearable Digital Sensors to Identify Risks of Postpartum Depression and Personalize Psychological Treatment for Adolescent Mothers: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Exploratory Study in Rural Nepal. JMIR Res Protoc, 8(8), e14734. https://doi.org/10.2196/14734
Poudyal, Anubhuti, Alastair van Heerden, Ashley Hagaman, Sujen Man Maharjan, Prabin Byanjankar, Prasansa Subba, and Brandon A. Kohrt. “Wearable Digital Sensors to Identify Risks of Postpartum Depression and Personalize Psychological Treatment for Adolescent Mothers: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Exploratory Study in Rural Nepal.JMIR Res Protoc 8, no. 8 (September 11, 2019): e14734. https://doi.org/10.2196/14734.

Published In

JMIR Res Protoc

DOI

ISSN

1929-0748

Publication Date

September 11, 2019

Volume

8

Issue

8

Start / End Page

e14734

Location

Canada

Related Subject Headings

  • 4206 Public health
  • 4203 Health services and systems
  • 1117 Public Health and Health Services
  • 1103 Clinical Sciences