Hannah Schwartz1, Jane McCusker2, Susan Law3, Phyllis Zelkowitz4, Jennifer Somera5, Santokh Singh6. 1. St. Mary's Hospital Center, Montréal, QC; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC. Electronic address: hannah.schwartz@mcgill.ca. 2. St. Mary's Research Centre, Montréal, QC; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal, QC. 3. St. Mary's Research Centre, Montréal, QC; Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC; Institute for Better Health, Trillium Health Partners, Mississauga, ON. 4. Department of Psychiatry, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, QC. 5. St. Mary's Hospital Center, Montréal, QC; Department of Youth Program, Lakeshore General Hospital, Pointe-Claire, QC. 6. St. Mary's Hospital Center, Montréal, QC; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Mental health problems affect up to 20% of women during pregnancy and the postpartum period. This study aimed to describe the mental health services and resources accessed by women with perinatal mental health problems (PMH) and to identify their unmet mental health care needs and preferences for support, as well as the barriers to accessing this support. METHODS: Participants were 18 years of age or older and spoke English or French. Consent was obtained 24 hours after delivery (T0) to screen for symptoms of depression and anxiety at 2 weeks postpartum (T1) using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7). Women with a positive screen (EPDS ≥10 or GAD-7 ≥10) were sent informational resources and were followed-up by telephone at 4 months postpartum (T2) to determine their use of these and other resources, their unmet needs, and their preferences for other resources or services. RESULTS: Seventy-three out of 344 participants (21.2%) screened positive, of whom 57 (78%) completed the T2 interview. Of those interviewed, 28% had used the informational resources provided by the study. Although 25% had consulted a health professional for mental health care, 37% had unmet mental health care needs. Preferences for additional support included web-based resources (30%), telephone support (28%), and booklets (25%). Lack of time (38%) and lack of childcare (23%) were the main barriers to seeking help. CONCLUSIONS: Web- and telephone-based approaches have the potential to address the most common barriers to access support for women experiencing perinatal mental health problems.
OBJECTIVE: Mental health problems affect up to 20% of women during pregnancy and the postpartum period. This study aimed to describe the mental health services and resources accessed by women with perinatal mental health problems (PMH) and to identify their unmet mental health care needs and preferences for support, as well as the barriers to accessing this support. METHODS:Participants were 18 years of age or older and spoke English or French. Consent was obtained 24 hours after delivery (T0) to screen for symptoms of depression and anxiety at 2 weeks postpartum (T1) using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7). Women with a positive screen (EPDS ≥10 or GAD-7 ≥10) were sent informational resources and were followed-up by telephone at 4 months postpartum (T2) to determine their use of these and other resources, their unmet needs, and their preferences for other resources or services. RESULTS: Seventy-three out of 344 participants (21.2%) screened positive, of whom 57 (78%) completed the T2 interview. Of those interviewed, 28% had used the informational resources provided by the study. Although 25% had consulted a health professional for mental health care, 37% had unmet mental health care needs. Preferences for additional support included web-based resources (30%), telephone support (28%), and booklets (25%). Lack of time (38%) and lack of childcare (23%) were the main barriers to seeking help. CONCLUSIONS: Web- and telephone-based approaches have the potential to address the most common barriers to access support for women experiencing perinatal mental health problems.
Authors: Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen; Leslie E Roos; E Bailin Xie; Kaeley M Simpson; Kristin A Reynolds; Ryan J Giuliano; Jennifer L P Protudjer; Melanie Soderstrom; Shannon Sauer-Zavala; Gerald F Giesbrecht; Catherine Lebel; Anna L Mackinnon; Charlie Rioux; Lara Penner-Goeke; Makayla Freeman; Marlee R Salisbury Journal: Trials Date: 2022-09-05 Impact factor: 2.728
Authors: Susan Law; Ilja Ormel; Stephanie Babinski; Donna Plett; Emilie Dionne; Hannah Schwartz; Linda Rozmovits Journal: Int J Ment Health Nurs Date: 2021-05-24 Impact factor: 5.100