https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Solness2021

Solness, C. L., Kroska, E. B., Holdefer, P. J., & O’Hara, M. W. (2021). Treating postpartum depression in rural veterans using internet delivered CBT: Program evaluation of MomMoodBooster. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 44(4), 454– 466. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-020-00188-5

The MomMoodBooster program is an online intervention that helps new mothers reduce their risk of postpartum depression via education and skills training and has been expanded to apply the content to Veteran mothers. This study compared how frequently rural (n = 31) and urban (n = 170) Veteran mothers used the program, completed coaching calls, and how they rated the helpfulness of the program. Mothers also completed questionnaires at baseline and at a 3-month follow-up to compare changes in depression symptoms, automatic thoughts (i.e., maladaptive thinking), and behavioral activation (e.g., impairment in daily activities). For both urban and rural mothers, positive outcomes were reported including high completion and helpfulness ratings and reduced mental health symptoms.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-020-00188-5

Mental health
Programming

Multiple branches

Veteran

Veteran

Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)

Quantitative Study

Solness, Cara L., Kroska, Emily B., Holdefer, Paul J., O'Hara, Michael W.

Depression in the postpartum period impacts approximately 13–26% of the general population. This number can be much higher for rural veteran women who face additional barriers to accessing specialized mental health services due to isolation and cultural factors. This study reports on a program evaluation of MomMoodBooster, a coach-supported internet-delivered CBT program for the treatment of maternal depression in veteran women. Repeated measures ANOVA, run with this sample of 326 women, demonstrated an overall positive effect size across outcome measures and engagement with no differences found between rural women and their urban counterparts. Some differences between urban and rural participants were found in total and average time spent with coaches as well as ratings of coach helpfulness, possibly indicating some cultural differences between coaches and rural women that need to be addressed. These results and the results of earlier trials suggest that MomMoodBooster can be a valid and efficacious option for reaching under-served veteran populations with specialized postpartum mental health support and is as effective with rural women as with urban women

Springer

Article
REACH Publication

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Rural Health, Veterans Rural Health Resource Center, CLS
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Rural Health, Veterans Rural Health Resource Center, EBK
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Rural Health, Veterans Rural Health Resource Center, PJH
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Rural Health, Veterans Rural Health Resource Center, MWO