Patient decision aids for antidepressant use in pregnancy: a pilot randomised controlled trial in the UK

Psychometric properties of the Decisional Conflict Scale in a sample of perinatal women with depressive symptoms: A study in Portugal and Norway

OBJECTIVE

To assess the psychometric properties, i.e., reliability and construct validity of the 16-item Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS) and sub-scales in women with perinatal depressive symptoms in Norway and Portugal.

METHODS

We included 415 women in Portugal and 163 in Norway (≥18 years) who were pregnant or had given birth in the last 12 months and presenting with active depressive symptoms. Women replied to the original DCS items. We conducted confirmatory factor analysis, estimated internal consistency reliability, and examined factorial invariance across country, perinatal status, and treatment uptake.

RESULTS

The DCS factor model had good fit to the data, with all items loading significantly on their respective factor (.585 to .958). There was configural invariance of the DCS across countries, treatment, and perinatal status. The internal consistency of the total DCS (Cronbach's alpha) was .958, and for the subscales it ranged from .798 to .947.

CONCLUSIONS

The DCS is a valid and reliable measure of the decisional conflict in women with perinatal depressive symptoms in Portugal and Norway.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Measuring the extent of decisional conflict regarding treatment and the effect of multiple interventions towards its reduction, is critical to facilitate the decision-making process of women with perinatal mental illness.

Barriers to help-seeking for postpartum depression mapped onto the socio-ecological model and recommendations to address barriers

Postpartum depression affects nearly a quarter of women up to a year after childbirth. Although it is treatable, significant barriers to help-seeking prevent women from being treated. This paper assesses key literature on the barriers for help-seeking among women with postpartum depression. The barriers identified have been mapped onto the socio-ecological model in addition to potential recommendations that professionals can use to address barriers on individual, interpersonal, organizational, community and societal levels. The recommendations provided are meant to serve as leverage points for professionals in efforts to create appropriate support and interventions. As such, this paper serves as a mapping tool for healthcare and public health professionals to assess obstacles to women's help-seeking and to guide multi-pronged interventions on various levels of the socio-ecological model that may increase help-seeking among women with postpartum depression. Holistically and comprehensively providing support to women will require significant effort throughout all sectors of society as opposed to isolated, siloed interventions.

The Effects of Patient Preference on Clinical Outcome, Satisfaction and Adherence Within the Treatment of Anxiety and Depression: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Taking patient preference into consideration has received increased attention in the last decades. We conducted a meta-analysis to estimate the effects of patient preference on clinical outcome, satisfaction and adherence regarding treatment of depression and anxiety.

METHODS

Pubmed, Embase, PsycINFO and Scopus were searched for (cluster) randomized controlled trials. Twenty-six randomized controlled clinical trials were included, comprising 3670 participants, examining the effect of patient preference regarding treatment of anxiety and depression on clinical outcome, satisfaction and/or adherence.

RESULTS

No effect of patient preference was found on clinical outcome [d = 0.06, 95% CI = (-0.03, 0.15), p = 0.16, n = 23 studies]. A small effect of patient preference was found on treatment satisfaction [d = 0.33, 95% CI = (0.08, 0.59), p = 0.01, n = 6 studies] and on treatment adherence [OR = 1.55, 95% CI = (1.28, 1.87), p < 0.001, n = 22 studies].

LIMITATIONS

Patient preference is a heterogeneous concept, future studies should strive to equalize operationalization of preference. Subgroup analyses within this study should be interpreted with caution because the amount of studies per analysed subgroup was generally low. Most studies included in this meta-analysis focused on patients with depression. The small number of studies (n = 6) on satisfaction, prevents us from drawing firm conclusions.

CONCLUSIONS

While this meta-analysis did not find a positive effect of considering patient preference on clinical outcome, it was associated with slightly better treatment satisfaction and adherence. Accommodating preference of patients with anxiety and depression can improve treatment.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO: CRD42020172556.

Decision aids for people facing health treatment or screening decisions

BACKGROUND

Patient decision aids are interventions designed to support people making health decisions. At a minimum, patient decision aids make the decision explicit, provide evidence-based information about the options and associated benefits/harms, and help clarify personal values for features of options. This is an update of a Cochrane review that was first published in 2003 and last updated in 2017.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of patient decision aids in adults considering treatment or screening decisions using an integrated knowledge translation approach.

SEARCH METHODS

We conducted the updated search for the period of 2015 (last search date) to March 2022 in CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, EBSCO, and grey literature. The cumulative search covers database origins to March 2022.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included published randomized controlled trials comparing patient decision aids to usual care. Usual care was defined as general information, risk assessment, clinical practice guideline summaries for health consumers, placebo intervention (e.g. information on another topic), or no intervention.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two authors independently screened citations for inclusion, extracted intervention and outcome data, and assessed risk of bias using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Primary outcomes, based on the International Patient Decision Aid Standards (IPDAS), were attributes related to the choice made (informed values-based choice congruence) and the decision-making process, such as knowledge, accurate risk perceptions, feeling informed, clear values, participation in decision-making, and adverse events. Secondary outcomes were choice, confidence in decision-making, adherence to the chosen option, preference-linked health outcomes, and impact on the healthcare system (e.g. consultation length). We pooled results using mean differences (MDs) and risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), applying a random-effects model. We conducted a subgroup analysis of 105 studies that were included in the previous review version compared to those published since that update (n = 104 studies). We used Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) to assess the certainty of the evidence.

MAIN RESULTS

This update added 104 new studies for a total of 209 studies involving 107,698 participants. The patient decision aids focused on 71 different decisions. The most common decisions were about cardiovascular treatments (n = 22 studies), cancer screening (n = 17 studies colorectal, 15 prostate, 12 breast), cancer treatments (e.g. 15 breast, 11 prostate), mental health treatments (n = 10 studies), and joint replacement surgery (n = 9 studies). When assessing risk of bias in the included studies, we rated two items as mostly unclear (selective reporting: 100 studies; blinding of participants/personnel: 161 studies), due to inadequate reporting. Of the 209 included studies, 34 had at least one item rated as high risk of bias. There was moderate-certainty evidence that patient decision aids probably increase the congruence between informed values and care choices compared to usual care (RR 1.75, 95% CI 1.44 to 2.13; 21 studies, 9377 participants). Regarding attributes related to the decision-making process and compared to usual care, there was high-certainty evidence that patient decision aids result in improved participants' knowledge (MD 11.90/100, 95% CI 10.60 to 13.19; 107 studies, 25,492 participants), accuracy of risk perceptions (RR 1.94, 95% CI 1.61 to 2.34; 25 studies, 7796 participants), and decreased decisional conflict related to feeling uninformed (MD -10.02, 95% CI -12.31 to -7.74; 58 studies, 12,104 participants), indecision about personal values (MD -7.86, 95% CI -9.69 to -6.02; 55 studies, 11,880 participants), and proportion of people who were passive in decision-making (clinician-controlled) (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.88; 21 studies, 4348 participants). For adverse outcomes, there was high-certainty evidence that there was no difference in decision regret between the patient decision aid and usual care groups (MD -1.23, 95% CI -3.05 to 0.59; 22 studies, 3707 participants). Of note, there was no difference in the length of consultation when patient decision aids were used in preparation for the consultation (MD -2.97 minutes, 95% CI -7.84 to 1.90; 5 studies, 420 participants). When patient decision aids were used during the consultation with the clinician, the length of consultation was 1.5 minutes longer (MD 1.50 minutes, 95% CI 0.79 to 2.20; 8 studies, 2702 participants). We found the same direction of effect when we compared results for patient decision aid studies reported in the previous update compared to studies conducted since 2015.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Compared to usual care, across a wide variety of decisions, patient decision aids probably helped more adults reach informed values-congruent choices. They led to large increases in knowledge, accurate risk perceptions, and an active role in decision-making. Our updated review also found that patient decision aids increased patients' feeling informed and clear about their personal values. There was no difference in decision regret between people using decision aids versus those receiving usual care. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of patient decision aids on adherence and downstream effects on cost and resource use.

Association between antidepressant use during pregnancy and miscarriage: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Literature surrounding the association between antidepressant use during pregnancy and miscarriage is conflicting. We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies among pregnant women regarding the association between exposure to antidepressants during pregnancy and the risk of miscarriage, compared with pregnant women not exposed to antidepressants.

DESIGN

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of non-randomised studies.

DATA SOURCES

We searched Medline, Embase and PsychINFO up to 6 August 2023.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND OUTCOMES

Case-control, cohort and cross-sectional study designs were selected if they compared individuals exposed to any antidepressant class during pregnancy to comparator groups of either no antidepressant use or an alternate antidepressant.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Effect estimates were extracted from selected studies and pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis. Risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using the Risk of Bias in Non-Randomised Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool, and heterogeneity assessed using the I2 statistic. Subgroup analyses were used to explore antidepressant classes and the impact of confounding by indication.

RESULTS

1800 records were identified from the search, of which 29 were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The total sample included 5 671 135 individuals. Antidepressant users initially appeared to have a higher risk of miscarriage compared with unexposed individuals from the general population (summary effect estimate: 1.24, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.31, I2=69.2%; number of studies (n)=29). However, the summary estimate decreased when comparing against unexposed individuals with maternal depression (1.16, 1.04 to 1.31; I2=58.6%; n=6), suggesting confounding by indication may be driving the association. 22 studies suffered from serious RoB, and only two of the 29 studies were deemed at moderate RoB.

CONCLUSIONS

After accounting for maternal depression, there is little evidence of any association between antidepressant use during pregnancy and miscarriage. Instead, the results indicate the biasing impact of confounding by indication.

Developing and evaluating an interprofessional shared decision-making care model for patients with perinatal depression in maternal care in urban China: a study protocol

BACKGROUND

The majority of patients with perinatal depression (PND) in China do not receive adequate treatment. As forming a therapeutic alliance with patients is crucial for depression treatment, shared decision-making (SDM) shows promise in promoting patients' uptake of evidence-based mental health services, but its impact on patient outcomes and implementation in real-world maternal care remain uncertain. Therefore, this study aims to develop and evaluate an interprofessional shared decision-making (IP-SDM) model for PND to enhance maternal mental health services.

METHODS

This study contains four research phases: feasibility testing (Phase 1), toolkit development (Phase 2), usability evaluation (Phase 3), and effectiveness evaluation (Phase 4). During the development stage, focus group interviews will be conducted with expectant and new mothers, as well as maternal care providers for feasibility testing. A toolkit, including a patient decision aid along with its user guide and training materials, will be developed based on the findings of Phase 1 and syntheses of up-to-date evidence and appraised by the Delphi method. Additionally, a cognitive task analysis will be used for assessing the usability of the toolkit. During the evaluation stage, a prospective randomized controlled trial embedded in a mixed methods design will be used to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the IP-SDM care model. The study targets to recruit 410 expectant and new mothers who screen positive for depression. They will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group in a 1:1 ratio. Participants in the intervention group will receive decision aid, decision coaching, and clinical consultation, in addition to usual services, while the control group will receive usual services. The primary outcome is the quality of decision-making process, and the secondary outcomes include SDM, mental health service utilization and costs, depressive symptoms, and health-related quality of life. In-depth interviews will be used to explore the facilitating and hindering factors of SDM.

DISCUSSION

This study will develop an IP-SDM care model for PND that can be implemented in maternal care settings in China. This study will contribute to the understanding of how SDM impacts mental health outcomes and facilitate the integration of mental health services into maternal care.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ChiCTR2300072559. Registered on 16 June 2023.

Toward Shared Decision-Making in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study

BACKGROUND

Health care decisions are a critical determinant in the evolution of chronic illness. In shared decision-making (SDM), patients and clinicians work collaboratively to reach evidence-based health decisions that align with individual circumstances, values, and preferences. This personalized approach to clinical care likely has substantial benefits in the oversight of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), a type of nontraumatic spinal cord injury. Its chronicity, heterogeneous clinical presentation, complex management, and variable disease course engenders an imperative for a patient-centric approach that accounts for each patient's unique needs and priorities. Inadequate patient knowledge about the condition and an incomplete understanding of the critical decision points that arise during the course of care currently hinder the fruitful participation of health care providers and patients in SDM. This study protocol presents the rationale for deploying SDM for DCM and delineates the groundwork required to achieve this.

OBJECTIVE

The study's primary outcome is the development of a comprehensive checklist to be implemented upon diagnosis that provides patients with essential information necessary to support their informed decision-making. This is known as a core information set (CIS). The secondary outcome is the creation of a detailed process map that provides a diagrammatic representation of the global care workflows and cognitive processes involved in DCM care. Characterizing the critical decision points along a patient's journey will allow for an effective exploration of SDM tools for routine clinical practice to enhance patient-centered care and improve clinical outcomes.

METHODS

Both CISs and process maps are coproduced iteratively through a collaborative process involving the input and consensus of key stakeholders. This will be facilitated by Myelopathy.org, a global DCM charity, through its Research Objectives and Common Data Elements for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy community. To develop the CIS, a 3-round, web-based Delphi process will be used, starting with a baseline list of information items derived from a recent scoping review of educational materials in DCM, patient interviews, and a qualitative survey of professionals. A priori criteria for achieving consensus are specified. The process map will be developed iteratively using semistructured interviews with patients and professionals and validated by key stakeholders.

RESULTS

Recruitment for the Delphi consensus study began in April 2023. The pilot-testing of process map interview participants started simultaneously, with the formulation of an initial baseline map underway.

CONCLUSIONS

This protocol marks the first attempt to provide a starting point for investigating SDM in DCM. The primary work centers on developing an educational tool for use in diagnosis to enable enhanced onward decision-making. The wider objective is to aid stakeholders in developing SDM tools by identifying critical decision junctures in DCM care. Through these approaches, we aim to provide an exhaustive launchpad for formulating SDM tools in the wider DCM community.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/46809.

Comparison of analog and digital patient decision aids for the treatment of depression: a scoping review

Introduction

Patient decision aids (PDAs) are important tools to empower patients and integrate their preferences and values in the decision-making process. Even though patients with mental health problems have a strong interest in being more involved in decision making about their treatment, research has mainly focused on PDAs for somatic conditions. In this scoping review, we focus on patients suffering from depression and the role of PDAs for this patient group. The review offers an overview of digital and analog PDAs, their advantages and disadvantages as well as recommendations for further research and development.

Methods

A systematic search of the existing literature guided by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses - extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) was conducted. Three electronic literature databases with the appropriate thematic focus were searched (PubMed, PsycInfo, and Web of Science). The search strategy used controlled and natural language to search for the key concepts decision aids and depression. The articles were selected in a two-step process guided by predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. We narratively synthetized information extracted from 40 research articles.

Results

We included 40 articles in our review. Our review revealed that there is more focus on digital PDAs in research than in clinical practice. Digitalization can enhance the benefits of PDAs by developing tools that are more efficient, interactive, and personalized. The main disadvantages of both types of PDAs for the treatment of depression are related to time, dissemination, and capacity building for the health care providers. Digital PDAs need to be regularly updated, effective strategies for their dissemination and acceptance need to be identified, and clinicians need sufficient training on how to use digital PDAs. There is more research needed to study which forms of PDAs are most appropriate for various patient groups (e.g., older adults, or patients with comorbidities), and to identify the most effective ways of PDAs' integration in the clinical workflow. The findings from our review could be well aligned with the International Patient Decision Aids Standards.

Discussion

More research is needed regarding effective strategies for the implementation of digital PDAs into the clinical workflow, ethical issues raised by the digital format, and opportunities of tailoring PDAs for diverse patient groups.

Trends, challenges, and priorities for shared decision making in mental health: The first umbrella review

BACKGROUND

Shared decision making (SDM) is a health communication model promoting patient-centered care that has not been routinely utilized in mental health. Inconsistent definitions, models, measurement tools, and lack of sufficient evidence for the effectiveness of SDM interventions are potential contributors to the limited use of SDM in mental health.

AIMS

(1) Provide the first systematic analysis of global development trends and challenges of SDM research; (2) clarify the meaning, role, and measurement of SDM in mental health; (3) create a theoretical framework for key effective SDM components to guide future development and implementation of SDM interventions.

METHODS

A comprehensive search strategy was conducted in CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycInfo. Included reviews focused on SDM interventions for prevention and/or treatment of mental illness in adults. A narrative synthesis was performed to capture the range of interventions, populations, measurement tools, comparisons, and outcomes.

RESULTS

10 systematic reviews of SDM in mental health were included with 100 nested studies spanning from 2006 to 2020. All reviews focused on dyadic and psychopharmacological decision-making. Primary outcomes of SDM in mental health interventions include treatment satisfaction, medication adherence, symptom severity, quality of life, and hospital readmissions. Participant-related factors unique to SDM in mental health, such as stigma and mental capacity, were not reported.

CONCLUSIONS

The current landscape of SDM in mental health is overwhelmingly disconnected from the needs and experiences of potential end-users; clients, clinicians, and family members. Most SDM interventions and tools were adapted from physical health and are mainly geared to psychopharmacological decision-making. The SDM in Mental Health Framework (SDM-MH), developed here, expands the scope of decisions to non-psychopharmacological discussions, diversifies the pool of SDM participants and settings, and offers potential primary target outcomes of SDM in mental health to reduce heterogeneity across studies.

Women with mental illness seeking conception counselling at a specialist perinatal psychiatry service in India

AIMS

To study the clinical and sociodemographic profile of women with mental illness seeking conception counselling at perinatal psychiatry service. To compare women seeking preconception counselling (PCC) to that of those who sought help after unplanned pregnancy with exposure (UPE) to psychotropics.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Data was extracted from the clinical records of women between the year 2014-2017 who attended perinatal outpatient services. The details collected included sociodemographic details, illness details, contraception, infertility treatment and detailed treatment history.

RESULTS

Of the 766 women who consulted perinatal psychiatry services (2014-17), 179 (23.37%) had consulted for conception counselling. Out of that 104 (58.1%) sought PCC, and 75 (41.9%) had UPE to psychotropics. PCC was sought by women with higher education, those having a severe mental illness, and a longer duration of illness. Women with medical comorbidities and receiving infertility treatment also sought PCC. Also, women who had earlier undergone PCC been more likely to seek PCC for further pregnancies.

CONCLUSIONS

Women with mental illness should be counselled regarding planned pregnancies, contraception, and the impact of psychotropics on pregnancy and foetus. Also, liaison with other specialities like obstetricians, sonologist and paediatricians is essential.

Shared decision-making interventions for people with mental health conditions

BACKGROUND

One person in every four will suffer from a diagnosable mental health condition during their life. Such conditions can have a devastating impact on the lives of the individual and their family, as well as society.  International healthcare policy makers have increasingly advocated and enshrined partnership models of mental health care. Shared decision-making (SDM) is one such partnership approach. Shared decision-making is a form of service user-provider communication where both parties are acknowledged to bring expertise to the process and work in partnership to make a decision.  This review assesses whether SDM interventions improve a range of outcomes. This is the first update of this Cochrane Review, first published in 2010.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of SDM interventions for people of all ages with mental health conditions, directed at people with mental health conditions, carers, or healthcare professionals, on a range of outcomes including: clinical outcomes, participation/involvement in decision-making process (observations on the process of SDM; user-reported, SDM-specific outcomes of encounters), recovery, satisfaction, knowledge, treatment/medication continuation, health service outcomes, and adverse outcomes.

SEARCH METHODS

We ran searches in January 2020 in CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO (2009 to January 2020). We also searched trial registers and the bibliographies of relevant papers, and contacted authors of included studies.  We updated the searches in February 2022. When we identified studies as potentially relevant, we labelled these as studies awaiting classification.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), including cluster-randomised controlled trials, of SDM interventions in people with mental health conditions (by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or International Classification of Diseases (ICD) criteria).

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. Two review authors independently screened citations for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. We used GRADE to assess the certainty of the evidence.

MAIN RESULTS

This updated review included 13 new studies, for a total of 15 RCTs. Most participants were adults with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder, in higher-income countries. None of the studies included children or adolescents.  Primary outcomes We are uncertain whether SDM interventions improve clinical outcomes, such as psychiatric symptoms, depression, anxiety, and readmission, compared with control due to very low-certainty evidence. For readmission, we conducted subgroup analysis between studies that used usual care and those that used cognitive training in the control group. There were no subgroup differences. Regarding participation (by the person with the mental health condition) or level of involvement in the decision-making process, we are uncertain if SDM interventions improve observations on the process of SDM compared with no intervention due to very low-certainty evidence. On the other hand, SDM interventions may improve SDM-specific user-reported outcomes from encounters immediately after intervention compared with no intervention (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.26 to 1.01; 3 studies, 534 participants; low-certainty evidence). However, there was insufficient evidence for sustained participation or involvement in the decision-making processes. Secondary outcomes We are uncertain whether SDM interventions improve recovery compared with no intervention due to very low-certainty evidence. We are uncertain if SDM interventions improve users' overall satisfaction. However, one study (241 participants) showed that SDM interventions probably improve some aspects of users' satisfaction with received information compared with no intervention: information given was rated as helpful (risk ratio (RR) 1.33, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.65); participants expressed a strong desire to receive information this way for other treatment decisions (RR 1.35, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.68); and strongly recommended the information be shared with others in this way (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.58). The evidence was of moderate certainty for these outcomes. However, this same study reported there may be little or no effect on amount or clarity of information, while another small study reported there may be little or no change in carer satisfaction with the SDM intervention. The effects of healthcare professional satisfaction were mixed: SDM interventions may have little or no effect on healthcare professional satisfaction when measured continuously, but probably improve healthcare professional satisfaction when assessed categorically. We are uncertain whether SDM interventions improve knowledge, treatment continuation assessed through clinic visits, medication continuation, carer participation, and the relationship between users and healthcare professionals because of very low-certainty evidence. Regarding length of consultation, SDM interventions probably have little or no effect compared with no intervention (SDM 0.09, 95% CI -0.24 to 0.41; 2 studies, 282 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). On the other hand, we are uncertain whether SDM interventions improve length of hospital stay due to very low-certainty evidence. There were no adverse effects on health outcomes and no other adverse events reported.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

This review update suggests that people exposed to SDM interventions may perceive greater levels of involvement immediately after an encounter compared with those in control groups. Moreover, SDM interventions probably have little or no effect on the length of consultations.  Overall we found that most evidence was of low or very low certainty, meaning there is a generally low level of certainty about the effects of SDM interventions based on the studies assembled thus far. There is a need for further research in this area.

Implementation of a novel shared decision-making intervention in women with chronic hypertension in pregnancy: multiple-site multiple-method investigation

BACKGROUND

Many women with chronic hypertension are conflicted about antihypertensive medication during pregnancy and some are non-adherent to prescribed medication.

OBJECTIVES

Codesign, implement and evaluate a novel shared decision-making (SDM) intervention for use with pregnant women with chronic hypertension.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Pregnant women with chronic hypertension and their principal healthcare professionals (obstetricians, midwives, and physicians), at three National Health Service hospital trusts with different models of care.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The RE-AIM framework guided the evaluation. Primary: Decisional conflict scale, medication intention survey and women's acceptability. Secondary: Healthcare professionals' acceptability and the barriers and facilitators to SDM implementation with pregnant women with chronic hypertension.

RESULTS

Fifty women participated. Nearly half (46 %; n = 23) of women were from Black and Asian backgrounds. The SDM intervention was effective at reducing decisional conflict (mean reduction from baseline 42 %, 95 % CI 35-49, p ≤ 0.05). In 36 women (72 %), the reduction was of clinical importance. 24 women (48 %) were uncertain about or planned not to take antihypertensives prior to the SDM intervention, compared to two women (4 %) after the intervention. The intervention was acceptable to women and healthcare professionals. 10 of 14 healthcare professionals felt that the in-consultation aid facilitated SDM in current antenatal contexts, a similar proportion (10/14) felt the length of consultations hindered SDM.

CONCLUSION

A novel codesigned SDM intervention reduced decisional conflict and increased women's intention to take antihypertensive agents during pregnancy. This intervention could be adopted into practice for women making pregnancy decisions where there is uncertainty around the medication management option.

Seeing it clearly: How to use graphics to guide collaborative consultation in pregnancy

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine the use of decision aids which may improve shared decision making through an exploration of risk apprehension and modes of collaborative communication.

CONCLUSIONS

Decision aids such as graphics have a key role in facilitating shared treatment decision making, perhaps particularly in perinatal mental health care. They are most useful within a trusting, two-way conversation.

The development of a patient decision aid to reduce decisional conflict about antidepressant use in pregnancy

Background

People with moderate to severe depression in pregnancy must weigh potential risks of untreated or incompletely treated depression against the small, but uncertain risks of fetal antidepressant drug exposure. Clinical support alone appears insufficient for helping individuals with this complex decision. A patient decision aid (PDA) has the potential to be a useful tool for this population. The objective of our work was to use internationally recognized guidelines from the International Patient Decision Aids Standards Collaboration to develop an evidence-based PDA for antidepressant use in pregnancy.

Methods

A three-phased development process was used whereby, informed by patient and physician perspectives and evidence synthesis, a steering committee commissioned a web-based PDA for those deciding whether or not to start or continue antidepressant treatment for depression in pregnancy (Phase 1). A prototype was developed (Phase 2) and iteratively revised based on feedback during field testing based on a user-centred process (Phase 3).

Results

We developed a web-based PDA for people deciding whether to start or continue antidepressant use for depression in pregnancy. It has five interactive sections: (1) information on depression and treatment; (2) reasons to start/continue an antidepressant and to start/stop antidepressant medication; (3) user assessment of values regarding each issue; (4) opportunity to reflect on factors that contribute to decision making; and (5) a printable PDF that summarizes the user’s journey through the PDA.

Conclusions

This tool, which exclusively focuses on depression treatment with Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Serotonin–Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors, can be used by individuals making decisions about antidepressant use to treat depression during pregnancy. Limitations of the PDA are that it is not for other conditions, nor other medications that can be used for depression, and in its pilot form cannot be used by women who do not speak English or who have a visual impairment. Pending further study, it has the potential to enhance quality of care and patient experience.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12911-022-01870-1.

Treatment of Peripartum Depression with Antidepressants and Other Psychotropic Medications: A Synthesis of Clinical Practice Guidelines in Europe

This study examined (1) the availability and content of national CPGs for treatment of peripartum depression, including comorbid anxiety, with antidepressants and other psychotropics across Europe and (2) antidepressant and other psychotropic utilization data as an indicator of prescribers' compliance to the guidelines. We conducted a search using Medline and the Guidelines International Network database, combined with direct e-mail contact with national Riseup-PPD COST ACTION members and researchers within psychiatry. Of the 48 European countries examined, we screened 41 records and included 14 of them for full-text evaluation. After exclusion of ineligible and duplicate records, we included 12 CPGs. Multiple CPGs recommend antidepressant initiation or continuation based on maternal disease severity, non-response to first-line non-pharmacological interventions, and after risk-benefit assessment. Advice on treatment of comorbid anxiety is largely missing or unspecific. Antidepressant dispensing data suggest general prescribers' compliance with the preferred substances of the CPG, although country-specific differences were noted. To conclude, there is an urgent need for harmonized, up-to-date CPGs for pharmacological management of peripartum depression and comorbid anxiety in Europe. The recommendations need to be informed by the latest available evidence so that healthcare providers and women can make informed, evidence-based decisions about treatment choices.

The effectiveness of decision aids for pregnancy related decision-making in women with pre-pregnancy morbidity; systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Women with pre-existing morbidity arising from medical conditions or previous caesarean section are at higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to women without such morbidity. Women often face complex pregnancy-related decision-making that may be characterized by conflicting maternal and perinatal priorities. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess randomised controlled trials of decision aids to evaluate whether they are effective at reducing decisional conflict scores and to evaluate what type of decision aids are most effective for women with pre-existing morbidity in pregnancy.

METHODS

We searched Medline (via Ovid), Embase (via Ovid), CINAHL (via EBSCO) from the earliest entries until September 2021. We selected randomised controlled trials comparing patient decision aids for women with pre-existing morbidity with usual clinical practice or a control intervention. Study characteristics and Jadad risk of bias was recorded. Meta-analysis by pre-existing morbidity type was performed using Stata 17 and the data was presented with a Forest Plot. Random effects models were used to calculate summary estimates if there was substantial clinical or statistical heterogeneity and post mean DCS scores were described in a sensitivity analysis and presented as a line graph, to improve clinical interpretation of results.. A narrative synthesis of the selected studies evaluated what type of decision aid works and for in what circumstances.

RESULTS

Ten randomised controlled trials, which reported data from 4028 women, were included. Patient decision aids were evaluated in women with pre-existing morbidity who were undertaking pregnancy-related decision-making. Patient decision aids reduced decisional conflict scale scores by an additional - 3.7, 95% Confidence Interval - 5.9% to - 1.6%) compared to the control group. Women with pre-existing medical conditions were more conflicted at baseline and had greater reductions in decisional conflict scale score (mean difference vs. control group: - 6.6%; 95% CI - 9.8% to - 3.3%), in contrast to those with previous caesarean section (mean difference - 2.4%; 95% CI - 4.8% to - 0.1%). There was limited evidence on the effect of decision aids on health outcomes. Decision aids reduced unwanted variation in decision-making support across maternity settings.

CONCLUSION

Patient decision aids are effective tools to support personalised care planning and informed decision-making in women with pre-existing morbidity. Women with pre-existing medical morbidity were more conflicted at baseline and were more likely to benefit from decision aids. Adoption of aids in this population may lead to improve adherence and health outcomes, warranting further research.

Antidepressants Are the Most Commonly Discontinued Psychotherapeutic Medications in Pregnancy

BACKGROUND

Psychiatric illnesses are common during the perinatal period. The use of antipsychotic medication during pregnancy has increased over the past two decades. In many instances, clinicians agree that untreated psychiatric illness during the perinatal period is more dangerous than the risks imposed by continuing psychotherapeutic medication. We describe patterns of psychotherapeutic medication continuation and discontinuation during pregnancy in a large U.S. cohort.

METHODS

We assessed the relationship between the demographic and clinical characteristics of women who continued or discontinued psychotherapeutic medications-antidepressants, anxiolytics/sedatives, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and stimulants-during pregnancy. This study used data from 2008 to 2015 from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. We used t tests and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component longitudinal sampling weights in the analysis of this data.

RESULTS

There were few significant differences noted in clinical and demographic characteristics between women who continued and discontinued medications during pregnancy. Those who continued were less likely to be employed (46.95% of continuers were employed vs. 80.55% of discontinuers; p = .0053). Women taking antipsychotics were more likely to continue medications during pregnancy (64.60% continually used antipsychotics vs. 35.40% discontinued antipsychotics; p = .008), whereas women taking antidepressants were more likely to discontinue their use (19.62% continually used antidepressants vs. 80.38% discontinued antidepressants; p = .032). For each medication category, women resumed medication after pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONS

Antidepressants are the most commonly discontinued psychotherapeutic medication during pregnancy. We recommend further research examining factors that may influence this observed difference.

Effectiveness of patient decision aids in women considering psychotropic medication use during pregnancy: a literature review

Women face complicated decisions regarding psychotropic medication use during pregnancy. Patient decision aids (PDAs) could be a valuable tool to assist with decision-making. The objective of this review was to evaluate the effectiveness of PDAs in this population. A systematic search of the literature was conducted using PRISMA guidelines. Three major databases were searched to identify articles published between 2006 and June 2020. Studies were included if they evaluated use of a PDA for women considering medication for mental illness during pregnancy. A total of 4629 titles were returned from the search; however, only three studies met inclusion criteria and were selected for analysis. Two were pilot randomised controlled trials in women considering antidepressant use during pregnancy, and one was a non-randomised study in women considering medication for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD). The PDAs had good acceptability across all three studies. The randomised trials assessed knowledge, decisional conflict, depression, and anxiety, with non-significant trends towards reduced decisional conflict and anxiety in the PDA groups. PDAs have the potential to assist women with mental illnesses to make decisions regarding medication use during pregnancy; however, current evidence is too limited to evaluate the effectiveness of PDAs for this population.

"I know my body better than you:" patient focus groups to inform a decision aid on oral corticosteroid use during pregnancy

PURPOSE

There is unmet need for decision support regarding medication use during pregnancy. We aimed to inform the development of a decision aid on oral corticosteroid (OCS) use during pregnancy through focus groups.

METHODS

We invited patients from one health system who had a recent live birth and a condition for which OCSs may be prescribed (ie, asthma or other autoimmune disease) to participate in focus groups. We conducted conventional qualitative content analysis of verbatim transcripts of the focus groups using inductive coding.

RESULTS

There were 30 participants across five focus groups from May to June 2019. Women endorsed the need for patient-provider discussions about OCS use during pregnancy in which the provider shares risks and benefits and the patient makes her decision. Furthermore, women generally expressed support for patient-centered handouts about OCS use during pregnancy that the provider discusses with the patient. When considering whether to take OCSs in pregnancy, women had concerns about: the medication's impact on their baby (eg, miscarriage, birth defects, long-term effects), themselves (eg, effects on mood, sleep, weight gain), pregnancy complications (eg, preterm birth, increased blood pressure), and lactation. Women wanted information on OCSs (eg, indications, length of treatment, and cost), alternative treatments, and risks of not taking OCSs.

CONCLUSIONS

We established patient need for a decision aid on OCS use during pregnancy that providers can discuss with patients. To address patient concerns, the aid should at a minimum describe the medication's impact on baby, including long-term effects, maternal health, pregnancy complications, and lactation.

Effects of patient decision aids in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of patient decision aids on knowledge, decisional conflict and decisional self-efficacy outcomes in patients with diabetes.

METHODS

A comprehensive database search was performed using the Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO (Ovid), CINAHL (EBASCO), CNKI, VIP, Wan Fang Database and the Ottawa Decision Aid Library Inventory (http://decisionaid.ohri.ca/index.html) from inception to 13 October 2019. Two reviewers independently searched databases, screened articles, extracted data and evaluated the risk bias of included studies. Then Rev Man 5.3 software was adopted for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

Ten articles containing 1,452 people with diabetes were selected. The results of meta-analysis showed that patient decision aids had a positive effect on reducing decisional conflict and improving decisional self-efficacy among patients with type 2 diabetes. Meanwhile, this article also revealed that patient decision aids have beneficial short-term effects on improving knowledge, but there was no significant long-term effect.

CONCLUSION

Patient decision aids are capable of becoming support tools to improve shared decision making. Further implementation studies are required to transform patient decision aids tools into clinical practice.

Perinatal mental health: a review of progress and challenges

Perinatal mental health has become a significant focus of interest in recent years, with investment in new specialist mental health services in some high-income countries, and inpatient psychiatric mother and baby units in diverse settings. In this paper, we summarize and critically examine the epidemiology and impact of perinatal mental disorders, including emerging evidence of an increase of their prevalence in young pregnant women. Perinatal mental disorders are among the commonest morbidities of pregnancy, and make an important contribution to maternal mortality, as well as to adverse neonatal, infant and child outcomes. We then review the current evidence base on interventions, including individual level and public health ones, as well as service delivery models. Randomized controlled trials provide evidence on the effectiveness of psychological and psychosocial interventions at the individual level, though it is not yet clear which women with perinatal mental disorders also need additional support for parenting. The evidence base on psychotropic use in pregnancy is almost exclusively observational. There is little research on the full range of perinatal mental disorders, on how to improve access to treatment for women with psychosocial difficulties, and on the effectiveness of different service delivery models. We conclude with research and clinical implications, which, we argue, highlight the need for an extension of generic psychiatric services to include preconception care, and further investment into public health interventions, in addition to perinatal mental health services, potentially for women and men, to reduce maternal and child morbidity and mortality.