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Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research

Date Submitted: May 18, 2019
Open Peer Review Period: May 21, 2019 - Jul 16, 2019
Date Accepted: Aug 31, 2019
(closed for review but you can still tweet)

The final, peer-reviewed published version of this preprint can be found here:

Mechanisms and Effects of a WeChat-Based Intervention on Suicide Among People Living With HIV and Depression: Path Model Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Li Y, Guo Y, Hong YA, Zhu M, Zeng C, Qiao J, Xu Z, Zhang H, Zeng Y, Cai W, Li L, Liu C

Mechanisms and Effects of a WeChat-Based Intervention on Suicide Among People Living With HIV and Depression: Path Model Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

J Med Internet Res 2019;21(11):e14729

DOI: 10.2196/14729

PMID: 31774411

PMCID: 6906623

Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.

Mechanisms and Effects of a WeChat-Based Intervention on Suicide Among People Living With HIV and Depression: Path Model Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

  • Yiran Li; 
  • Yan Guo; 
  • Y Alicia Hong; 
  • Mengting Zhu; 
  • Chengbo Zeng; 
  • Jiaying Qiao; 
  • Zhimeng Xu; 
  • Hanxi Zhang; 
  • Yu Zeng; 
  • Weiping Cai; 
  • Linghua Li; 
  • Cong Liu

Background:

People living with HIV and depression have high rates of suicide. Studies of mobile health (mHealth) interventions have shown feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy in improving mental health in people living with HIV and depression. However, few studies have examined the mechanisms and effects of mHealth interventions on suicide.

Objective:

This study was designed to examine the mechanisms and effects of a WeChat-based intervention, Run4Love, on suicide among people living with HIV and depression in China, while considering perceived stress and depressive symptoms as mediators.

Methods:

A sample of 300 People living with HIV and depression was recruited from the outpatient clinic of a large HIV or AIDS treatment hospital and was randomized to the Run4Love group or a control group. Data were collected at baseline, 3-, 6-, and 9-month follow-ups. Path analysis modeling, with longitudinal data, was used in data analyses.

Results:

The Run4Love mHealth intervention had a direct effect on reducing suicide rate at the 6-month follow-up (beta=−.18, P=.02) and indirect effect through reducing perceived stress and depressive symptoms at the 3-month follow-up (beta=−.09, P=.001). A partial mediating effect between perceived stress and depressive symptoms accounted for 33% (–0.09/–0.27) of the total effect.

Conclusions:

Through path analyses, we understood the mechanisms and effects of an mHealth intervention on suicide prevention. The findings underscored the importance of stress reduction and depression treatment in such a program. We call for more effective suicide prevention, especially mHealth interventions targeting the vulnerable population of people living with HIV and depression.

ClinicalTrial:

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR-IPR-17012606; http://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojen.aspx?proj=21019

International Registered Report:

RR2 10.2196/10.1186/s12889-018-5693-1


 Citation

Please cite as:

Li Y, Guo Y, Hong YA, Zhu M, Zeng C, Qiao J, Xu Z, Zhang H, Zeng Y, Cai W, Li L, Liu C

Mechanisms and Effects of a WeChat-Based Intervention on Suicide Among People Living With HIV and Depression: Path Model Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

J Med Internet Res 2019;21(11):e14729

DOI: 10.2196/14729

PMID: 31774411

PMCID: 6906623

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