title: Randomized controlled trial to prevent postpartum depression in mothers on public assistance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant and common public health problem for women.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the efficacy of an intervention based on the principles of interpersonal therapy (IPT) in reducing the risk of PPD in pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trial of 205 pregnant women who were 18 years old or older, on public assistance, and at risk for PPD. Participants (mean age=23; 38% Hispanic and 23% Black) were randomized to either the IPT group intervention (n=104) or the treatment as usual control (TAU) program (n=101).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 6 months, the overall depression rate in the intervention group (16%) was lower than the control group (31%) and the effect of the intervention was statistically significant at p<0.05.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is unknown if findings will generalize to a more heterogeneous sample of women than the current study, such as women from a range of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, or marital status. There was a differential amount of contact between TAU and intervention conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An IPT based intervention during the prenatal period has the potential to reduce cases of PPD within 6 months postpartum in at risk mothers on public assistance.
authors.affiliation: Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI 02905, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: czlotnick@butler.org.
authors.forename: Caron
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zlotnick
authors.affiliation: Butler Hospital, Brown University, 345 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
authors.forename: Golfo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tzilos
authors.affiliation: Butler Hospital, Brown University, 345 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Bradley Hospital, Brown University, 1011 Veterans Memorial Parkway, East Providence, RI 02915, United States.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seifer
authors.affiliation: Decision Sciences Institute, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Pawtucket, RI 02860, United States.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stout
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011632:Public Assistance; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Depression; Interpersonal therapy; Intervention; Postpartum; Pregnancy