Supporting isolated women in New South Wales via an eHealth CBT program. (2018-2020)

Funding

NSW Ministry of Health Translational Research Grant Scheme $176,790

Researchers/investigators

Keryl de Haan (Murrumbidgee LHD), Associate Professor Maree Bernoth, Joanna Carlisle (CSU project officer), Chris Hunt (Western NSW LHD), Professor Jeannette Milgrom (Parent-Infant Research Institute), Dr Alan Gemmill, (Parent-Infant Research Institute), and Alicia Carey (CSU)

Research Theme

Rural and regional communities

Description

This collaborative project is led by Murrumbidgee LHD and is in partnership with CSU, Western NSW Local Health District and the Parent-Infant Research Institute, University of Melbourne, is an implementation research study for delivering an online treatment program for Postnatal Depression and Anxiety (PNDA).

The MumMoodBooster (MMB) program is a new internet cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) program which has been developed to treat isolated new mothers experiencing mild to moderate depression and anxiety.

The aim of this project is to explore key barriers and facilitators to accessing the online MMB program for isolated and hard to reach women in areas of regional, rural and remote NSW.

The study will involve clinicians at various rural and remote locations within the health districts who will be guided through using and supporting clients using MMB, and focus groups and interviews to  help answer questions about uptake and identify the facilitators and barriers to accessing and using the program.

The project is being conducted within the Murrumbidgee (Narrandera, Deniliquin & Wagga Wagga) and Western NSW (Parkes, Forbes, Bathurst) Local Health Districts.

Outcomes

The study will:

• identify recommendations around offering the MMB as a standard referral pathway in health services for isolated women experiencing Postnatal depression and anxiety
• provide a model  for future collaborations between health, the tertiary sector and industry

Contact

Associate Professor Maree Bernoth  email

Wagga Wagga campus

July 2019