Accelerating research on highly scalable supports for postpartum depression
Early Programming of Cognitive and Mental Health (EPOCH) Laboratory – McMaster University
On average, it takes 17 years for new research to be adopted in real-life settings. For perinatal mental health in particular, where timely access to care can make all the difference between a mild case becoming a severe case, this lag in research to practice is a significant roadblock.
For Ryan Van Lieshout, perinatal psychiatrist and principal investigator of the EPOCH Lab research group, the translation of research on new, more efficient models for service delivery is critical. “The healthcare system is experiencing a resource crunch now more than ever before,” says Ryan. “Shifting tasks to non-specialists has the potential to increase access to care.”
Currently, Ryan and his team are conducting several studies to test task shifting in the context of treating postpartum depression, with the aim of developing low-cost, low-intensity, highly scalable interventions that could be delivered by nurses or even peer supporters.
“One of the biggest joys in my career has been training peers, watching them grow into outstanding facilitators, and seeing them help hundreds of women recover,” says Ryan.
For Nancy Lloyd, clinical research coordinator, these studies have a personal connection. “I personally experienced postpartum depression with my first child, and it was a very difficult thing to get through,” she says. “I want to do my part to help other women.”
This year, the team is continuing to test the effectiveness of different treatment models, and scale the ones that already have a strong evidence base. So far, they’ve received interest from Public Health Units across Ontario and major healthcare organizations in the US and Europe. “It’s amazing to think that ideas I developed could have a real-world impact not only in Canada but also internationally, and that these workshops could help people who need it most,” says Ryan.