The effectiveness of implementation strategies in improving preconception and antenatal preventive care: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Clinical guideline recommendations for addressing modifiable risk factors are not routinely implemented into preconception and antenatal care. This review assessed the effectiveness of implementation strategies in improving health professional provision of preconception and antenatal care addressing tobacco smoking, weight management and alcohol consumption. METHODS: A systematic review of randomised and non-randomised studies with a parallel comparison group was conducted. Eligible studies used implementation strategy/ies targeted at health professionals to improve at least one element of preconception and/or antenatal care (smoking: ask, advise, assess, assist, arrange; weight/alcohol: assess, advise, refer) compared to usual practice/control or alternative strategies. Eligible studies were identified via CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Maternity and Infant Care, CINAHL and other sources. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted where appropriate, with other findings summarised using the direction of effect. The certainty of the pooled evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: Fourteen studies were included in the review. Thirteen were in the antenatal period and 12 tested multiple implementation strategies (median: three). Meta-analyses of RCTs found that implementation strategies compared to usual practice/control probably increase asking (OR: 2.52; 95% CI: 1.13, 5.59; 3 studies; moderate-certainty evidence) and advising (OR: 4.32; 95% CI: 3.06, 6.11; 4 studies; moderate-certainty evidence) about smoking and assessing weight gain (OR: 57.56; 95% CI: 41.78, 79.29; 2 studies; moderate-certainty evidence), and may increase assessing (OR: 2.55; 95% CI: 0.24, 27.06; 2 studies; low-certainty evidence), assisting (OR: 6.34; 95% CI: 1.51, 26.63; 3 studies; low-certainty evidence) and arranging support (OR: 3.55; 95% CI: 0.50, 25.34; 2 studies; low-certainty evidence) for smoking. The true effect of implementation strategies in increasing advice about weight gain (OR: 3.37; 95% CI: 2.34, 4.84; 2 non-randomised studies; very low-certainty evidence) and alcohol consumption (OR: 10.36; 95% CI: 2.37, 41.20; 2 non-randomised studies; very low-certainty evidence) is uncertain due to the quality of evidence to date. CONCLUSIONS: Review findings provide some evidence to support the effectiveness of implementation strategies in improving health professional delivery of antenatal care addressing smoking and weight management. Rigorous research is needed to build certainty in the evidence for improving alcohol and weight gain advice, and in preconception care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO-CRD42019131691.

Do outcomes of cognitive-behaviour therapy for co-occurring alcohol misuse and depression differ for participants with symptoms of posttraumatic stress?

BACKGROUND: Although post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often co-occurs with depression and alcohol use disorder (AUD), treatment settings may not screen for PTSD symptoms. AIMS: To explore the effects of PTSD symptoms in participants seeking treatment for depression and alcohol misuse by capitalising on the DAISI (Depression and Alcohol Integrated and Single focussed Interventions) project. METHODS: Participants (N = 220) with current depressive symptoms and alcohol misuse were recruited from the DAISI project, a randomised controlled trial with four treatment arms. PTSD symptoms were assessed at baseline by the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale and again at the 3-month assessment. RESULTS: McNemars t-test assessed for changes in PTSD symptom severity and PTSD symptom clusters at the 3-month assessment. Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance assessed for changes in PTSD symptoms, by DAISI treatment allocation. At the 3-month assessment, participants with PTSD reported significant reductions in PTSD symptoms (except intrusion) and a lower rate of PTSD, and responded better to integrated depression-alcohol misuse CBT than to the alcohol/depression single-focussed or brief interventions. CONCLUSION: Integrated depression and alcohol misuse CBT may be effective for PTSD symptoms, but intrusions may need to be addressed specifically.

Implementation strategies to improve preconception and antenatal care for tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and weight management: a systematic review protocol.

BACKGROUND: Despite existing best practice care recommendations for addressing tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and weight management in preconception and antenatal care, such recommendations are often not implemented into routine practice. Effective strategies that target known barriers to implementation are key to reducing this evidence to practice gap. The aim of this review is to synthesise the evidence on the effectiveness of implementation strategies in improving the provision of preconception and antenatal care for these modifiable risk factors. METHODS: Randomised and non-randomised study designs will be eligible for inclusion if they have a parallel control group. We will include studies that either compare an implementation strategy to usual practice or compare two or more strategies. Participants may include any health service providing preconception or antenatal care to women and/or the health professionals working within such a service. The primary outcome will be any measure of the effectiveness of implementation strategies to improve preconception and/or antenatal care for tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and/or weight management (including care to improve nutrition and/or physical activity). Secondary outcomes will include the effect of the implementation strategy on women's modifiable risk factors, estimates of absolute costs or cost-effectiveness and any reported unintentional consequences. Eligible studies will be identified via searching Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Maternity and Infant Care, CINAHL, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses and other sources (e.g. contacting experts in the field). Study selection, data extraction and risk of bias will be assessed independently by two review authors and differences resolved by a third reviewer. If data permits, we will conduct fixed-effects or random-effects meta-analysis where appropriate. If studies do not report the same outcome or there is significant heterogeneity, results will be summarised narratively. DISCUSSION: This review will identify which implementation strategies are effective in improving the routine provision of preconception and antenatal care for tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and weight management. Such a review will be of interest to service providers, policy makers and implementation researchers seeking to improve women's modifiable risk factors in preconception and antenatal care settings. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42019131691.

Effects of Assault Type on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Coexisting Depression and Alcohol Misuse.

Although assault exposure is common in mental health and substance misusing populations, screening for assaults in treatment settings is frequently overlooked. This secondary analysis explored the effects of past sexual (SA) and physical (PA) assault on depression, alcohol misuse, global functioning and attrition in the Depression and Alcohol Integrated and Single focussed Intervention (DAISI) project, whose participants (N = 278) received cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for their depression and/or alcohol misuse. Of the 278 DAISI participants, 220 consented to screening for past assault (either by a stranger or non-stranger) at baseline. Depression, alcohol, and global functioning assessments were administered at baseline and 3, 12, 24, and 36 months post baseline. A between-group analysis was used to assess differences between SA and No SA, and PA and No PA groupings, on adjusted mean treatment outcomes across all assessment periods. SA and PA participants had similar mean symptom reductions compared to No SA and No PA participants except for lower depression and global functioning change scores at the 12-month follow-up. People with coexisting depression and alcohol misuse reporting SA or PA can respond well to CBT for depression and alcohol misuse. However, follow-up is recommended in order to monitor fluctuations in outcomes.

The Influence of Parental Emotional Neglect on Assault Victims Seeking Treatment for Depressed Mood and Alcohol Misuse: A Pilot Study.

This study explores the relationship between reported parental emotional neglect when a child, assault type experienced, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), depression, and alcohol consumption in treatment seekers for comorbid depressive symptoms and alcohol misuse. Participants (n = 220) with concurrent depression and alcohol misuse were recruited from the DAISI (Depression and Alcohol Integrated and Single-focussed Interventions) project. Assault type and PTSS were retrospectively assessed by the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale. The Measure of Parenting Style is a self-report measure that retrospectively assessed emotional neglect experienced as a child. An exploratory factor analysis using the tetrachoric correlation matrix (applying principal factor extraction with a varimax rotation) identified the two assault factors of sexual assault (SA) and physical assault (PA). A path analysis revealed that Maternal Emotional Neglect increased the impact of PTSS and depression. Paternal Emotional Neglect increased the impact of PA on PTSS and alcohol dependence symptoms. There appears to be differential effects of assault type and Maternal/Paternal emotional neglect on depression and alcohol misuse, suggesting that parenting roles serve distinct protective functions.

Pilot randomized controlled trial of a brief alcohol intervention group for adolescents.

The aim of this study was to identify whether a brief motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavioural-based alcohol intervention group (AIG) programme is feasible with young people at risk of developing a problem with alcohol, and to assess the short-term effectiveness of the intervention. Participants were assigned randomly to receive a group intervention of four sessions duration (n=17; AIG) or no treatment (n=17, control group). Participants were volunteers recruited from a youth centre on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, comprising youths aged 12-19 years who were interested in participating in the study. The Readiness to Change Questionnaire, items from the AUDIT, the DAP Quick Screen and a knowledge questionnaire were administered at pretreatment, post-treatment and at 1- and 2-month follow-ups. Participants in the AIG programme showed an increase in readiness to reduce their alcohol consumption. They also reduced their frequency of drinking at post-treatment and the first follow-up assessment, while the control group reported increases at the second follow-up assessment. The control group also increased their hazardous drinking and frequency of binge drinking compared to the AIG. The intervention appeared to improve the AIG participants' knowledge about alcohol and its effects. The results provide preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of the AIG programme in training young people to set limits on alcohol consumption, increase awareness of safe drinking levels and the effects of alcohol abuse. This pilot study also showed that young people who are identified as being 'at risk' of developing alcohol abuse, and who are also ambivalent about changing drinking behaviours, can be recruited and retained in a treatment programme.