Social Media, Teen Moms and PPD

Approximately 400,000 live births occur to adolescents in the United States annually. Of the
50% of adolescent mothers who experience depressive symptoms, less than 25% comply with
referrals for depression evaluation and treatment due to lack of knowledge of depression
symptoms (literacy), negative attitude towards mental health treatment, perception that
individuals with depression are stigmatized (subjective norms), lack of understanding of
health resources that are available to her and under her control (perceived control), and
lack of time. Social media is a promising vehicle to reach and educate adolescent mothers
since most adolescent mothers use social media for communication and to search for health
information. Based upon the Theory of Planned Behavior, the investigators will target 11
counties in Kentucky with a social media ad campaign that will result in adolescent mothers
(n=140) from those counties enrolling in an internet based intervention related to
postpartum depression. The previously tested intervention includes vignettes from other
adolescent mothers, questions and answers, resources, and an option to enroll in text
message service. Before the intervention, after the intervention, and two weeks later the
adolescent mothers will complete established questionnaires to determine if the intervention
improved attitude and subjective norms towards depression and depression treatment,
perceived control and intention related to seeking depression treatment, and the number of
adolescent mothers with symptoms of depression who receive depression treatment. Data will
be compared to scores on the same instruments from adolescent mothers (n=140) from the
control group (18 other counties in Kentucky) that have not been targeted with the social
media ad campaign or participated in the intervention. Data from the adolescent mothers in
the control group will be collected in partnership with community agencies. The overall
purpose of this trial is to test a cost effective and feasible method for reducing the
cognitive and emotional barriers to accessing depression treatment in adolescent mothers.
The specific aims are to (1) measure the extent to which a social media ad campaign is
effective as a recruitment strategy; (2) test the effectiveness of an internet based social
marketing intervention on both intention to seek treatment and rates of depression
treatment, and (3) examine the dose effect of the intervention.