MHRC member awarded funding from Health and Medical Research Fund to conduct study for early detection of postpartum depression

A project “A Mobile Application for Early Detection and Symptoms Trajectories of Postpartum Depression Using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA): A Prospective Cohort Validation Study” led by Dr Jessie LIN, Member of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), Assistant Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, was awarded a grant of about HK$500K from the Health and Medical Research Fund of the Health Bureau, HKSAR.

The project aims to evaluate the validity of using a mobile-based ecological momentary assessment (mEMA) for studying the changes in mood symptoms among pregnant women during and after pregnancy, thus enabling the early identification of postpartum depression and the trajectories of depressive symptoms and associated factors. The study will follow a sample of 120 pregnant women for six months, and assess their mood, sleep, exercise, physical wellbeing and environmental context via a mobile application. Findings of this project will facilitate the future development of effective digital interventions for maternal mental health.