title: Assessing antenatal psychosocial health. Randomized controlled trial of two versions of the ALPHA form.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether participants preferred a provider-completed or self-reported antenatal psychosocial health assessment (ALPHA) form, to evaluate the forms' effectiveness in facilitating disclosure of psychosocial issues, and to determine whether different providers gathered different information.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Offices of family physicians and public health nurses (PHNs) in three health regions on Prince Edward Island.
  
  
  METHODS
  Physicians, PHNs, and 76 pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants completed one form and a questionnaire on theirexperience. Providers were also interviewed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Suitability and effectiveness of the forms and frequency of issues disclosed by type of form and provider.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most participants would recommend routine use of the ALPHA form for all pregnant women. Of the 238 psychosocial issues disclosed, significantly more were disclosed to physicians than to PHNs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both forms were acceptable to women and providers (no clear preference emerged) and were effective at gathering information. Physicians gathered significantly more information than PHNs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario. deana.midmer@utoronto.ca
authors.forename: Deana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Midmer
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bryanton
authors.forename: Rona
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008603:Mental Health; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure