Effectiveness of mHealth consultation services for preventing postpartum depressive symptoms: a randomized clinical trial

Table 3 Risk of elevated postpartum depressive symptoms (EPDS ≥ 9) by mHealth use status

	Using mHealth consultation	mHealth non-use or in usual care group	Relative risk^a (95% CI)	P Value
Using any type of mHealth consultation	27/224 (12.1)	95/415 (22.9)	0.57 (0.38–0.84)	.005
Total number of consultations^b
1	9/67 (13.4)	-	0.69 (0.36–1.31)	.26
2–4	5/89 (5.6)	-	0.27 (0.12–0.64)	.003
≥ 5	13/68 (19.1)	-	0.82 (0.48–1.42)	.48
Specialty of consultants (at least once)^c
Midwife	22/175 (12.6)	100/464 (21.6)	0.61 (0.40–0.94)	.02
Obstetrics–gynecologist	15/111 (13.5)	107/528 (20.3)	0.69 (0.41–1.17)	.17
Pediatrician	13/83 (15.7)	109/556 (19.6)	0.81 (0.47–1.40)	.46
Method of consultations (at least once)^d
Chat message consultation	22/200 (11.0)	100/439 (22.8)	0.51 (0.34–0.79)	.002
Voice call consultation	16/80 (20.0)	106/559 (19.0)	1.04 (0.66–1.66)	.86
Video call consultation	2/10 (20.0)	120/629 (19.1)	1.18 (0.32–4.37)	.81

Abbreviations: EPDS Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, CI confidence interval
^aModified Poisson regression analysis with baseline adjustment was used to calculate relative risks. The adjustment variables were age, parity, trimester, household size, income, education, elevated depressive symptoms at baseline, and past mental health problems
^bThe explanatory variables were the total number of consultations, while the reference category was no mHealth consultation usage
^cRelative risks were calculated separately for each consultant specialty. The participants were counted in each consultant category
^dRelative risks were calculated separately for each consultation method. The participants were counted in each method of consultation category

ISSN: 1741-7015