The proposed project is aligned with the scope and priorities outlined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Small Research Grant Program (R03) Funding Opportunity Announcement. The overall aim of this project is to establish infrastructure and processes to conduct effectiveness research related to perinatal depression across multiple sites. Perinatal depression is an important chronic disease model in that a) prevalence is high relative to other diseases and rates of adequate treatment are low, b) effective treatment of perinatal depression may reduce burden, cost and transmission of risk to the next generation, c) qualification of Medicaid and increased healthcare use during childbearing allows a key opportunity to for mental health treatment and d) childbearing women are seen across different types of health care settings. A pilot study will be conducted to identify preliminary predictors of response to different depression treatment types (e.g anti-depressants, psychotherapy). Specifically, this project aims to 1) establish a standard set of assessments most relevant to studying predictors of response to perinatal depression and to 2) establish infrastructure and processes to expand these research questions across multiple sites. We will capitalize on the our role at the University of Michigan as the Data Coordinating Center for the National Network of Depression Centers (NNDC) in expanding and implementing processes and infrastructure established as a result of this project. We will also build a data repository system that will capture and allow multi-project analyses of existing data from our group to refine the variables and aims of the subsequent National Institute of Health (NIH) applications. The proposed project represents a key opportunity to capitalize on the momentum within the NNDC and the NIH emphasis on research focused on understanding mediators and moderators of treatment to inform personalized treatments, sharing of data, and integration.
The proposed research aims overall to maximize public health impact of perinatal depression research by 1) establishing a model and capacity for multi-site research that is critical for rapidly advancing knowledge about treatment improvement by 2) studying which treatments are most effective for which patients. The methodology developed and employed here will serve as a model for dissemination to other institutions; which is important to streamlining and integrating research across institutions. The proposed project represents a key opportunity to innovate research focused on understanding mediators and moderators of treatment to inform personalized treatments; sharing of data; and integration.
