Does telecounseling reduce anxiety and depression during pregnancy? A randomized controlled trial

Koc, Emine; Baltaci, Nazlı; Bal, Sümeyye

doi:10.1590/1806-9282.20221213

Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Brasil

Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira

Español English

Brasil

Español English

sumário « anterior atual seguinte »

Sumário

Original Article • Rev. Assoc. Med. Bras. 69 (6) • 2023 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9282.20221213 copy

Does telecounseling reduce anxiety and depression during pregnancy? A randomized controlled trial

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

SUMMARY

OBJECTIVE:

This study aims to examine the effect of telecounseling in reducing the anxiety and depression experienced by pregnant women.

METHOD:

This randomized control trial was conducted on 100 pregnant women (50 in each intervention and control group). The intervention group received telecounseling with regard to the mother and the fetus as needed between 08:00 h and 20:00 h for 6 weeks at home. The control group received only routine care. Anxiety and depression levels were evaluated at the beginning and end of the study using the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale.

RESULTS:

Anxiety and depression levels were found to be lower in the intervention group than in the control group (p<0.001). In the control group, the anxiety score increased from 5.62 to 7.16, and the depression score increased from 4.92 to 5.76 without any intervention (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION:

This study shows that telecounseling may have an effect on reducing the level of anxiety and depression of pregnant women.

KEYWORDS:
Anxiety; Depression; Pregnancy; Telemedicine

Variable		Intervention group (n=50)	Control group (n=50)	p-value
Age (years)		25.50±3.86	25.46±4.72	0.963^IT IT Independent-samples t-test;
Marriage age		24.10±3.78	24.14±6.70	0.971^IT IT Independent-samples t-test;
Educational status
	Primary and secondary school	9 (18)	22 (44)	0.154^L L Linear-by-linear association test.
	High school	28 (56)	13 (26)
	University	13 (26)	15 (30)
Employment status
	Employed	37 (74)	40 (80)	0.667^c c Chi-square test;
	Unemployed	8 (16)	5 (10)
	On leave	5 (10)	5 (10)
Level of income
	Income lower than expense	20 (40)	9 (18)	0.222^L L Linear-by-linear association test.
	Income equal to expense	24 (48)	39 (78)
	Income higher than expense	6 (12)	2 (4)
Health insurance
	Present	44 (88)	48 (96)	0.142^F F Fisher's exact test;
	Absent	6 (12)	2 (4)	0.142^F F Fisher's exact test;
Family type
	Nuclear	44 (88)	43 (76)	0.88^c c Chi-square test;
	Extended	6 (12)	7 (14)	0.88^c c Chi-square test;
Smoking use
	Present	4 (8)	3 (6)	1.000^F F Fisher's exact test;
	Absent	46 (92)	47 (94)	1.000^F F Fisher's exact test;

Variable		Intervention group (n=50)	Control group (n=50)	p-value
Gestational week		32.34±2.17	32.32±2.14	0.963^IT IT Independent-samples t-test;
Number of pregnancies		1.16±0.865	1.1±0.505	0.673^IT IT Independent-samples t-test;
Number of abortions		0.16±0.865	0.6±0.313	0. 444^IT IT Independent-samples t-test;
Participation in educational status
	Attended	22 (44)	19 (38)	0.542^c c Chi-square test;
	Did not attend	28 (56)	31 (76)	0.542^c c Chi-square test;
Where she studied
	Health care personnel	4 (8)	5 (10)	0.621^F F Fisher's exact test.
	Internet	15 (30)	9 (18)
	Family/relative	4 (8)	4 (8)
Pregnancy type
	Planned	47 (94)	48 (96)	1.000^F F Fisher's exact test.
	Not planned	3 (6)	2 (4)	1.000^F F Fisher's exact test.

Anxiety	Intervention group (n=50)	Control group (n=50)	Between groups p-value
Pre-test	7.62 (3.16)	5.62 (2.64)	<0.001^IT IT Independent-samples t-test;
Post-test	5,26 (2.65)	7.16 (2.88)	<0.001^IT IT Independent-samples t-test;
Within group p-value	<0.001^PST PST Paired-samples t-test.	<0.001^PST PST Paired-samples t-test.
Difference	−2.36 (2.30)	1.54 (2.17)
Depression
Pre-test	5.50 (3.13)	4.92 (2.89)	0.169^IT IT Independent-samples t-test;
Post-test	3.52 (2.85)	5.76 (2.78)	<0.001^IT IT Independent-samples t-test;
Within group p-value	<0.001^PST PST Paired-samples t-test.	0.08^PST PST Paired-samples t-test.
Difference	−1.98 (2.09)	0.84 (2.40)

Associação Médica Brasileira R. São Carlos do Pinhal, 324, 01333-903 São Paulo SP - Brazil, Tel: +55 11 3178-6800, Fax: +55 11 3178-6816 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: ramb@amb.org.br

Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[1] *Corresponding author: emine.koc@omu.edu.tr, emine_koc555@hotmail.com