A Telemedicine Based Supportive Educational System Using Family-Centered Care to Enhance Family Support and Reduce Postpartum Depression

Abstract

Background: One of the most common types of depression in new mothers, postpartum depression, affects millions worldwide. Yet many face barriers to accessing therapy, such as time, financial and childcare challenges. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a telemedicine-based supportive educative system, grounded in family-centered care, in enhancing family support and reducing depression during the postpartum period. Methods: A quasi-experimental design with pre-test-post-test control groups was used to assess the impact of telemedicine. Postpartum women and their families were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. The intervention group received telemedicine sessions educating families to provide support with the Zoom meeting platform, while the control group received standard care. Validated PSSQ (Postpartum Social Support Questionnaire) and EPDS (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) were administered at baseline and post-intervention. Results: The Wilcoxon test results in the intervention group revealed significant improvements in husband's support (p=0.000), parental support (p=0.005) and friend's support (p=0.026) after the intervention, indicating increased support for participants. However, no significant change was observed in support from in-laws (p=0.138). In the control group, a significant increase was noted in husband's support (p=0.009), while parental support (p=0.126) showed no significant enhancement. Additionally, the paired t-test results in the control group indicated no significant changes in support from in-laws (p=0.411) or friend's support (p=0.437). Conclusion: The telemedicine-based supportive educational system using family-centred care effectively enhances family support and reduces postpartum depression, offering a promising approach to improve postpartum mental health outcomes.