Skip to main content
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
  • Blog
  • Newsroom
  • Find It Fast
  • Help Center
  • Subscribe
  • Careers
  • Contact Us

PCORI

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute

Search form

  • About Us
    Close mega-menu

    About Us

    • Our Programs
    • Governance
    • Financials and Reports
    • Procurement Opportunities
    • Our Staff
    • Our Vision & Mission
    • Contact Us

    Fact Sheets: Learn More About PCORI

    Download fact sheets about out work, the research we fund, and our programs and initiatives.

    Find It Fast

    Browse through an alphabetical list of frequently accessed and searched terms for information and resources.

    Subscribe to PCORI Email Alerts

    Sign up for weekly emails to stay current on the latest results of our funded projects, and more.

  • Research & Results
    Close mega-menu

    Research & Results

    • Explore Our Portfolio
    • Research Fundamentals
    • Research Results Highlights
    • Putting Evidence to Work
    • Peer Review
    • Evidence Synthesis
    • About Our Research

    Evidence Updates from PCORI-Funded Studies

    These updates capture highlights of findings from systematic reviews and our funded research studies.

    Journal Articles About Our Funded Research

    Browse through a collection of journal publications that provides insights into PCORI-funded work.

    Explore Our Portfolio of Funded Projects

    Find out about projects based on the health conditions they focus on, the state they are in, and if they have results.

  • Topics
    Close mega-menu

    Topics

    • Addressing Disparities
    • Arthritis
    • Asthma
    • Cancer
    • Cardiovascular Disease
    • Children's Health
    • Community Health Workers
    • COVID-19
    • Dementia and Cognitive Impairment
    • Diabetes
    • Kidney Disease
    • Medicaid
    • Men's Health
    • Mental and Behavioral Health
    • Minority Mental Health
    • Multiple Chronic Conditions
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Obesity
    • Older Adults' Health
    • Pain Care and Opioids
    • Rare Diseases
    • Rural Health
    • Shared Decision Making
    • Telehealth
    • Transitional Care
    • Veterans Health
    • Women's Health

    Featured Topic: Women's Health

    Learn more about the projects we support on conditions that specifically or more often affect women.

  • Engagement
    Close mega-menu

    Engagement

    • The Value of Engagement
    • Engagement in Health Research Literature Explorer
    • Influencing the Culture of Research
    • Engagement Awards
    • Engagement Resources
    • Engage with Us

    Engagement Tools and Resources for Research

    This searchable peer-to-peer repository includes resources that can inform future work in patient-centered outcomes research.

    Explore Engagement in Health Literature

    This tool enables searching for published articles about engagement in health research.

    Research Fundamentals: A New On-Demand Training

    It enables those new to health research or patient-centered research to learn more about the research process.

  • Funding Opportunities
    Close mega-menu

    Funding Opportunities

    • What & Who We Fund
    • What You Need to Know to Apply
    • Applicant Training
    • Merit Review
    • Awardee Resources
    • Help Center

    PCORI Funding Opportunities

    View and learn about the newly opened funding announcements and the upcoming PFAs in 2021.

    Tips for Submitting a Responsive LOI

    Find out what PCORI looks for in a letter of intent (LOI) along with other helpful tips.

    PCORI Awardee Resources

    These resources can help awardees in complying with the terms and conditions of their contract.

  • Meetings & Events
    Close mega-menu

    Meetings & Events

    • Upcoming
    • Past Events

    January 2021 Board of Governors Meeting

    The Board approved funding for a new research study relating to kidney health and a new funding allocation for PCORnet. Learn more

    Confronting COVID-19: A Webinar Series

    Learn more about the series and access recordings and summary reports of all six sessions.

    2020 PCORI Annual Meeting

    Watch recordings of all sessions, and view titles and descriptions of the posters presented at the virtual meeting.

You are here

  • Research & Results
  • Explore Our Portfolio
  • Comparing Two Ways to Treat Depressio...

Comparing Two Ways to Treat Depression among Pregnant Women and New Mothers

Sign Up for Updates to This Study  

Project Summary  

This research project is in progress. PCORI will post the research findings on this page within 90 days after the results are final.

What is the research about?

Depression is a health problem that makes people feel sad, hopeless, or empty most days. Pregnant women and new mothers may have depression and not know it. Having depression during or after pregnancy may make it hard for women to take care of themselves and their babies.

This study is comparing two ways to help pregnant women and new mothers who have symptoms of depression get the care they need. One way is to refer women to mental health care services. Another way is to help women learn ways to change patterns of thinking during office visits.

Who can this research help?

Information from this study can help pregnant women or new mothers and their doctors choose how and where to get treatment for depression. Health clinics can use this information to plan services to help pregnant women and new mothers with depression.

What is the research team doing?

The research team is recruiting 230 women who have Medicaid coverage and are pregnant or who have a child who is 18 months old or younger. Participants must be 18 years old or older and show symptoms of depression on a survey designed for new mothers. The team is assigning patients to one of two groups by chance.

In the first group, clinic staff meet with women to talk about the results of their depression symptoms survey. Clinic staff also talk about treatment options and connect patients to mental health care outside of the clinic. In the second group, clinic staff meet with patients six times to help them learn how to solve problems and change how they think or behave. This new way of thinking and behaving may help reduce symptoms of depression. If depression symptoms continue, clinic staff connect these patients with further mental health services outside of the clinic.

Women fill out surveys every two months for one year. The surveys track

  • Number and severity of depression symptoms
  • Anxiety
  • Knowledge, skill, and confidence about self-care
  • Ability to cope with life challenges
  • Parenting stress
  • Use of mental health services
  • Children’s behavioral and emotional health

Women who have experienced depression after the birth of their child are working with the research team to plan the study.

Research methods at a glance

Design Elements Description
Design Randomized controlled trial
Population Women ages 18 or older with depression symptoms, who have Medicaid, and who are pregnant or have a child who is 18 months old or younger
Interventions/
Comparators
  • Engagement-focused care coordination, which includes 1 to 2 brief meetings with clinic staff and referral to mental health care outside the clinicTelepsychiatry-enhanced referral
  • Problem solving education, which is a six-session cognitive behavioral program with clinic staff and referral to mental health services if depression symptoms continue or get worse
Outcomes

Primary: depression symptoms

Secondary: anxiety; knowledge, skill, and confidence about self-care; ability to cope with life challenges; parenting stress; use of mental health services; children’s behavioral and emotional outcomes as reported by women in the study

Timeframe 1-year follow-up for primary outcome

Project Details

Principal Investigator
Michael Silverstein, MD, MPH
Project Status
In progress; Data collected
Project Title
Improving Outcomes for Low-Income Mothers with Depression: A Comparative Effectiveness Trial of Two Brief Interventions in the Patient-Centered Medical Home
Board Approval Date
December 2016
Project End Date
August 2022
Organization
Boston Medical Center
Year Awarded
2016
State
Massachusetts
Project Type
Research Project
Health Conditions  
Mental/Behavioral Health
Depression
Intervention Strategies
Behavioral Interventions
Other Clinical Interventions
Care Coordination
Other Health Services Interventions
Training and Education Interventions
Populations
Low Income
Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Women
Funding Announcement
Addressing Disparities
Project Budget
$2,597,588
Study Registration Information
HSRP20181362
NCT03221556
Page Last Updated: 
January 19, 2021

Research & Results

  • Explore Our Portfolio
  • Research Fundamentals
  • Research Results Highlights
  • Putting Evidence to Work
  • Peer Review
  • Evidence Synthesis
  • About Our Research

About Us

  • Our Programs
  • Governance
  • Financials and Reports
  • Procurement Opportunities
  • Our Staff
  • Our Vision & Mission
  • Contact Us

Research & Results

  • Explore Our Portfolio
  • Research Fundamentals
  • Research Results Highlights
  • Putting Evidence to Work
  • Peer Review
  • Evidence Synthesis
  • About Our Research

Engagement

  • The Value of Engagement
  • Engagement in Health Research Literature Explorer
  • Influencing the Culture of Research
  • Engagement Awards
  • Engagement Resources
  • Engage with Us

Funding Opportunities

  • What & Who We Fund
  • What You Need to Know to Apply
  • Applicant Training
  • Merit Review
  • Awardee Resources
  • Help Center

Meetings & Events

January 21
Cycle 1 2021 Broad PFA Applicant Town Hall
February 2
PCORI 2021 and Beyond: Opportunities for Funding and Involvement in Patient-Centered Research
February 9
Board of Governors Meeting: February 9, 2021

PCORI

Footer contact address

Patient-Centered Outcomes
Research Institute

1828 L Street, NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 827-7700 | Fax: (202) 355-9558
[email protected]

Subscribe to Newsletter

Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Vimeo

© 2011-2021 Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. All Rights Reserved.

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Trademark Usage Guidelines | Credits | Help Center