Primary mental health prevention in partners of mothers with a major mental illness: SMS4Dads

Background: Mental health promotion and prevention with expecting and new fathers has historically been challenging. Approximately 10% of this population report experiencing depression in the post-partum period and 18% report experiencing anxiety. This population may be further at risk if their partner has a mental illness. Objective: To assess if information provided by SMS may be a way to reach a vulnerable population of new fathers with partners who have a mental illness. Method: Twenty-three new and expecting fathers who have partners with a mental illness were engaged in a qualitative assessment of their experience with the SMS4Dads programme. Results: This analysis showed that at risk new fathers appreciated the information received during the programme and reported acting on this, making changes in the way they interact with their children. Conclusion: The combination of timely, accurate and practical information delivered in a novel way, likely contributed to the reports of improved interactions within the family unit. Key Words: Fathers, infant, SMS, depression, mental health