Event Details

Perinatal depression affects up to 20% of birthing parents, yet as few as 10% of these individuals receive evidence-based care. A shortage of specialized perinatal mental health professionals is a major barrier to receiving treatment. Public health nurses (PHNs) are a first point of contact for many with perinatal depression and may be well placed to help treat birthing parents. In this PHO Rounds, speakers will present a series of randomized controlled trials that show that PHNs with no previous formal psychiatric experience can be trained to effectively deliver group cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for perinatal depression that is cost-effective and improves depression, anxiety, the dyadic relationship and infant neurodevelopment. Multiple public health units (PHUs) have implemented the intervention and its effects in real-world practice are similar to those of the trials conducted. PHN-delivered group CBT for perinatal depression is a scalable intervention that can increase access to treatment with benefits for parents and their offspring.

Intended audience: Public health physicians and nurses, community health workers, public health professionals who work in mental health and children’s health, public health decision makers.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify the clinical benefits of PHN-delivered group CBT for perinatal depression for birthing parents.
• Describe the impact of the treatment on offspring health.
• Describe the effects of being trained to deliver the intervention on PHNs.
• Examine the cost-utility of this intervention in addressing perinatal depression.

Christina Bradley, RN, BScN, IBCLC is a Team Lead with the Nurse-Family Partnership program at Niagara Region Public Health. She has over 25 years of nursing experience focusing on maternal child health through direct client care and health equity.

Ryan Van Lieshout, MD, PhD, FRCPC is a psychiatrist clinician scientist who aims to develop, test, and translate into practice interventions that increase access to psychotherapy for all perinatal people and optimize these to benefit both parents and their offspring.

Haley Layton, MPH, is a PhD candidate and Research Coordinator at McMaster University who has conducted research on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of treatments for perinatal depression and the experiences of those who receive and deliver these treatments. 

 

The opinions expressed by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies or views of Public Health Ontario, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by Public Health Ontario.

Public Health Ontario Rounds are a self-approved group learning activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC).

Other colleges, including the College of Family Physicians of Canada, Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario and the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors, may accept RCPSC accredited events on a per-hour basis. Please contact your relevant college should you have any questions.

In order to receive written documentation for Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits, please check "Yes" beside the question "Do you require CME credits?" on the registration form.

For more information or for a record of registration for other Continuing Education purposes, please contact capacitybuilding@oahpp.ca.

Public Health Ontario is committed to complying with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you require accommodations to participate in this event, please contact 647-260-7100 or capacitybuilding@oahpp.ca.