title: The effect of a telephone-based cognitive behavioral therapy on quality of life: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has emerged as a major public health concern in perinatal care. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of telephone-based cognitive behavioral therapy (T-CBT) on HRQoL among Chinese mothers at risk of postnatal depression at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum. A multi-center randomized controlled trial was conducted at the postnatal units of three regional hospitals. Three hundred and ninety-seven women at risk of postnatal depression were recruited and were randomly assigned to the T-CBT (n = 197) or usual care (n = 200). Assessment was conducted at baseline, 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum for HRQoL. Women in the T-CBT experienced greater improvement in the physical component of HRQoL from baseline to 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum than the usual care group. At 6 months postpartum, the T-CBT group also experienced better HRQoL in the mental component of HRQoL than the usual care group. The T-CBT appears to be feasible and effective in improving HRQoL in women at risk of postnatal depression in the primary care practice.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR. vivian.ngai@polyu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Fei-Wan
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Ngai
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Paul Wai-Ching
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Ka-Fai
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hospital Authority, 30 Gascoigne Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Kwok-Yin
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D002681:China; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013689:Telephone; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Health-related quality of life; Postnatal depression; Postpartum women; Telephone-based cognitive behavioral therapy