Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The topic of perinatal depression (i.e. depression during and after pregnancy) remains a subject of continued research interest, as a broad literature body reports that a large proportion of women suffering from this mental disorder do not receive appropriate treatment. This is worrisome, firstly, because mental health treatment is often readily available to the public and at no cost. Secondly, untreated perinatal depression not only holds dangerous consequences for the mother but also for the infant and the rest of the family. It is therefore important to identify those factors that act as barriers to mental health care utilization for perinatal depression. Although this is a persistent problem within the South African context, to date, little is known about the barriers to the utilization of available mental health services experienced among pregnant South African women. For this reason, the Perinatal Mental Health Project (PMHP) aims to provide mental health services at the same location where women receive obstetric services. However, despite their efforts, the number of women who decline available treatment is still of great concern. The present study offers a unique perspective on counselling for perinatal depression appointment-keeping barriers as it provides a holistic view of these barriers that exist not only within the women but also in their multi-levelled environments. Secondly, it addresses the problem of nonattendance to mental health care treatment offered by the PMHP and consequently also addresses the gap in South African research on the topic. The sample for this study was selected from PMHP files of those patients who failed to attend scheduled counselling appointments. The participants included in this study were selected by means of purposeful sampling to participate in face-to-face and telephonic semi-structured interviews. Participants were assured of confidentiality and anonymity. The semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed after which transcriptions were entered into MS Word for textual analysis. Transcriptions were thematically analysed. The main themes that emerged from the present study included individual-related barriers, social-related barriers, institution-related barriers, community-related barriers and poverty-related barriers. The results of the present study reflect the motivations for depressive pregnant women to decline available and free mental health services provided by the PMHP, according to five main themes. These themes were then discussed according to Bronfenbrenner’s (1977; 1979) Ecological Systems Theory, which categorised the main themes identified according to the different systems operating within the patient’s environment, i.e. the individual-, micro-, meso-, exo-, and macrosystem. The individual system comprised the individual-related barriers, which included poor mental health, and ambivalent feelings toward the pregnancy. The microsystem comprised the social-related barriers, which included low social support and self-help strategies. Community-related barriers were considered within the mesosystem of the patient’s ecological environment, with stigma and pity as sub-barrier. The exosystem comprised the institution-related barriers, including referral protocol barriers, lack of information provided by the nurses, and nurses’ attitudes as experienced by participants. Lastly, poverty-related barriers were considered within the macrosystem, with financial life hardship, constant child-care demands, and transportation barriers as sub-barriers. The significance of this study lies in the original perspective offered on mental health care appointment-keeping behaviour within the South African context. Future research could, in addition to conducting interviews with hospital patients, include health care professionals and focus groups as this will allow for triangulation of the perspectives of all significant players. Also, having identified the problems and concerns with regards to attending counselling appointments, future research direction may be aimed at creating interventions designed to reduce the identified barriers to mental health care service use. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Perinatale depressie (d.w.s. depressie voor en na swangerskap) bly ʼn onderwerp van voortdurende navorsings belang, aangesien ʼn breë navorsingsveld aandui dat ʼn groot proporsie van vroue wat aan hierdie geestesversteuring lei, nie die gepaste behandeling ontvang nie. Dit is kommerwekkend, eerstens, aangesien behandeling vir geestesgesondheid meestal openlik verkrygbaar is aan almal sonder enige koste. Tweedens, onbehandelde perinatale depressie hou nie slegs gevaarlike gevolge vir die moeder in nie, maar ook vir die baba en die res van die gesin. Dit is daarom belangrik om daardie faktore te identifiseer wat as hindernisse optree tot geestesgesondheid sorg diensgebruik vir perinatale depressie. Alhoewel dit ʼn voortdurende probleem binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks is, is daar tot op hede geen navorsing wat hindernisse tot gebruik van beskikbare geestesgesondheidsdienste bekend gemaak nie, veral wat ervaar word onder swanger Suid-Afrikaanse vroue nie. Vir hierdie rede, beoog die Perinatal Geestesgesondheid Projek (Perinatal Mental Health Project - PMHP) om geestesgesondheidsdienste te lewer by dieselfde plek waar vroue verloskundige dienste kan ontvang. Nietemin, ten spyte van hul pogings, is die getal vroue wat beskikbare behandeling van die hand wys steeds van groot kommer. Dié studie bied ʼn unieke perspektief op hindernisse tot berading vir perinatale depressie afspraak-ooreenkoms gedrag, aangesien dit ʼn algehele uitkyk bied op hindernisse wat nie slegs binne die vroue bestaan nie, maar ook in hul veelvlakkige omgewings bestaan. Tweedens, spreek dit die probleem van nie-bywoning van geestesgesondheidsbehandelingsdienste wat aangebied word deur die PMHP aan en gevolglik ook die gaping wat binne Suid-Afrikaanse navorsing rakende dié onderwerp bestaan. Die steekproef vir die studie was gekies van PMHP lêers van daardie pasiënte wat nie hul geskeduleerde terapie afsprake bygewoon het nie. Die deelnemers ingesluit in die studie is deur middel van doelgerigte-steekproefneming geselekteer om aan aangesig-tot-aangesig of telefoniese semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude deel te neem. Deelnemers is van hul vertroulikheid en anonimiteit van die proses verseker. Die semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude was oudio-opgeneem en transkripsies is daarvan gemaak, waarna die transkripsies in MS Word gelaai is vir tekstuele analise. Transkripsies is tematies geanaliseer. Die hooftemas wat na vore gekom het, sluit in individuele-verwante hindernisse, sosiale-verwante hindernisse, institusie-verwante hindernisse, gemeenskapsverwante hindernisse en armoede-verwante hindernisse. Resultate van dié studie reflekteer die motiverings van depressiewe swanger vroue om beskikbare en gratis geestesgesondheidsdienste wat verskaf is deur die PMHP van die hand te wys, volgens die vyf hooftemas. Hierdie temas is toe volgens Bronfenbrenner (1972) se Ekologiese Sisteemteorie verdeel in die verskillende sisteme teenwoording in die pasiënt se omgewing, naamlik die individuele-, mikro-, meso-, ekso-, en makrosisteem. Die individuele sisteem het die individuele-verwante hindernisse ingesluit, wat swak geestesgesondheid, en teenstrydige gevoelens teenoor die swangerskap omvat het. Die mikrosisteem het die sosiale-verwante hindernisse ingesluit, wat swak sosiale ondersteuning, en self-help strategieë omvat het. Gemeenskapsverwante hindernisse is binne die mesosisteem van die pasiënt se ekologiese omgewing beskou, en het stigma en jammerte as sub-hindernisse ingesluit. Die eksosisteem het die institusie-verwante hindernisse ingesluit, wat verwysing protokol hindernisse, gebrek aan inligting verskaf deur die verpleegsters, en verpleegsters se houdings soos ervaar deur die deelnemers omvat het. Laastens is die armoede-verwante hindernisse binne die makrosisteem beskou, en het finansiële lewens swaarkry, konstante kindersorg eise, en vervoer-verwante struikelblokke as sub-hindernisse ingesluit het. Die belang van dié studie lê in die oorspronklike perspektief van geestesgesondheidsbehandeling dienste afspraak-ooreenkoms gedrag binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, wat aangebied is. Toekomstige navorsing kan, bykomend tot die voer van onderhoude met hospitaal pasiënte, fokus daarop om gesondheidsorg kenners en fokus groepe in te sluit, aangesien dit die triangulasie van perspektiewe moontlik maak van al die belangrike rolspelers. Ook, aangesien die probleem en bekommernisse rakende bywoning van terapie afsprake reeds geïdentifiseer is, mag toekomstige navorsing in die rigting beweeg met die doel om intervensies te omskep wat beoog om die geïdentifiseerde hindernisse tot geestesgesondheidsorg diensgebruik te verminder.

This paper explores a Master of Social Work (MSW) student's experiences in engagement with structural social work during an advanced practicum with a perinatal mental health project in Northeastern Ontario. The goals of the advanced practicum were to: (a) improve reflexive practice, (b) improve understanding of structural social work, specific to social justice, and (c) improve understanding of the role of structural social workers within inter-organizational collaborations. Deconstruction of the engagement with each of the goals and the challenges in facilitation of the objectives are reviewed. Though there are issues and dilemmas facing those who wish to engage in structural social work, this advanced practicum experience was successful in improving the student's engagement with structural social work praxis.

Background Up to 34% of perinatal individuals experience childbirth as traumatic. These individuals are at increased risk for developing depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the traumatic event. The objective of this study was to elicit the perspectives of individuals with a traumatic birth experience on barriers and facilitators to receiving mental health support in the postpartum period after a traumatic delivery. Methods Individuals who delivered within the last three years and perceived their birth experience to be traumatic (n=32) completed an hour-long semi-structured phone interview. The interview included screening for PTSD, depression, and anxiety with validated instruments including the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-V (PCL-5), the Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale (PHQ-8), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), respectively. Qualitative data was analyzed using a modified grounded theory characterizing participants’ barriers and recommendations for mental health support after traumatic births. Results Among participants, 34.4% screened positive for PTSD, 18.8% screened positive for major depressive disorder, and 34.4% screened positive for anxiety. Qualitative themes revealed multi-level barriers involving lack of communication, education, and resources which prevented obstetric professionals from recognizing and supporting patients’ mental health needs after a traumatic birth. Recommendations from participants included that 1) obstetric professionals should acknowledge trauma experienced by any individual after childbirth, 2) providers of multiple disciplines need to be integrated into postpartum care, and 3) mental health support is needed before the ambulatory postpartum visit. Conclusions There are multi-level barriers toward detecting and responding to individuals’ mental health needs after a traumatic birth. Obstetric professionals need to use a trauma-informed approach and proactively follow-up and assess mental health care in the postpartum period.

Depression i samband med graviditet förekommer hos ungefär 10% av gravida och medför risker för den gravida och barnet. Många erhåller inte behandling. IKBT kan öka behandlingstillgängligheten och har visat sig effektivt jämfört med sedvanlig mödravård. Utvärderingens syfte var att undersöka skillnader i depressionssymtom före och efter fyra veckor i en IKBT-behandling mot antenatal depression och att jämföra skillnaderna med en tidigare RCT på en snarlik behandling. Huvudfrågeställningen var huruvida depressionssymtom minskar hos patienter med antenatal depression efter fyra veckor i en IKBT-behandling. 26 personer deltog i behandlingen. Förmätning jämfördes med senast kända mätningen efter fyra veckor. Dessa och de veckovisa mätningarna fram till vecka fyra, jämfördes med två icke-randomiserade kontrollgrupper. Skillnad mellan förmätning och senaste mätningen avseende grad av depressionssymtom var signifikant i genomfört t-test och symtomreduktionen tycks vara i nivå med resultat från den tidigare RCT-studien. IKBT skulle således kunna utgöra ett behandlingsalternativ för gravida med depression. Slutsatser bör dras med försiktighet. Framtida forskning inom fältet är av vikt för att validera resultat och för att ge underlag till utvecklingen av behandling vid antenatal depression. / Pregnancy related depression exists in approximately 10% of pregnant people and adds risks for the pregnant individual and the baby. Many are not treated. ICBT may increase the treatment availability and appears to be more effective than conventional maternal health care. The purpose of this evaluation was to examine differences in symptoms of depression before and after four weeks of ICBT-treatment for antenatal depression and to compare the differences with a prior RCT of a similar treatment. The main research question was whether symptom of depression decreases in patients with antenatal depression after four weeks when being treated with an ICBT-treatment. 26 persons participated in the treatment. Pre-measures was compared to the most recent measurement after four weeks. These, and the weekly done measurements up to week four, was compared with two non-randomized control groups. The difference between pre-measures and the most recent measurement regarding degree of depressive symptoms was significant in completed t-test and the reduction of symptoms appears to be on a par with results from the prior RCT. ICBT could be a treatment alternative for pregnant people with depression. Conclusions should be done with caution. Further studies in this field are of importance for validating results and to provide knowledge for the development of treatment for antenatal depression.

I Sverige drabbas ca 10 - 20% av kvinnor av depression under graviditeten eller efter förlossningen. Då tidigare forskning har gett indikationer på att depression kan ha en negativ inverkan på prenatal anknytning och mamma-barn bindning, är syftet med uppsatsen att undersöka detta hos mammor som genomgått internetbaserad kognitiv beteendeterapi (IKBT) för antenatal depression.  Denna uppsats skrevs i samarbete med den randomiserade DANA-studien om IKBT för gravida med depression. Uppsatsen var en prediktions- och sambandsstudie som tillämpar en inomgruppsdesign med tre mättillfällen; före och efter IKBT behandling samt postpartum.  Syftet med uppsatsen var bland annat att undersöka vilka faktorer som förutsäger mamma-barn bindning 8–10 veckor postpartum, samband mellan prenatal anknytning och behandlingsutfall samt samband mellan förändring i depression och förändring i prenatal anknytning under behandlingen. Resultatet indikerar att tidigare missfall samt prenatal anknytning före och efter behandlingen, kunde förutsäga mamma-barn bindning 8-10 veckor postpartum. Prenatal anknytning var inte en signifikant prediktor för förändring i depressionsnivå. Slutligen indikerar resultatet ett signifikant samband mellan förändring i prenatal anknytning samt förändring i depression före och efter behandlingen. / In Sweden, about 10-20% of women suffer from depression during pregnancy or after childbirth. As previous research has given indications that depression can have a negative impact on prenatal attachment and mother-infant bonding, the aim of the essay is to investigate this in mothers who underwent internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) for antenatal depression. This paper was written in collaboration with the DANA randomized trial of ICBT for pregnant women with depression. The design was a prediction and correlation study that applies a within-group design with three measurement occasions: before and after ICBT treatment and 8-10 weeks after childbirth. The purpose of the essay was, among other things, to investigate which factors predict mother-infant bonding 8–10 weeks postpartum, the relationship between prenatal attachment and treatment outcome, and the relationship between change in depression and change in prenatal attachment during treatment. The results indicate that previous miscarriages and prenatal attachment before and after treatment could predict mother-child bonding 8-10 weeks postpartum. Prenatal attachment was not a significant predictor of change in depression level. Finally, the results indicate a significant relationship between change in prenatal attachment and change in depression before and after treatment.

Background: Antenatal Psychosocial Assessment (APA) has recently been introduced into routine antenatal care, but the ways in which maternity service providers assess and respond to maternal stress are subject of debate. There is a lack of consensus on the instrument(s) of choice and lack of evidence regarding appropriate interventions. Further, national guidelines have not kept apace with the conceptual shift from ‘postnatal depression’ to ‘perinatal anxiety and depression’. Adopting the Medical Research Council Complex Interventions Framework, the ARMS research aimed to inform the development of interventions that support women who are experiencing, or at risk of, mild-moderate mental health disorder in pregnancy. Methods: A mixed methods approach was adopted. In the quantitative element (Study Part 1) participants (n=191) completed a questionnaire when attending for their first formal antenatal appointment, using a procedure and materials that had been previously tested in a pilot study. Details including mental health assessment and referrals were obtained from their health records, following delivery. In the qualitative element (Study Part 2) a sub-sample of women (n=22) experiencing high levels of maternal stress took part in up to three serial in-depth interviews during pregnancy and the early postnatal period.Findings: Maternal stress was found to be common. Using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) threshold of ≥10, approximately 1 in 4 women were classed as high depression (halving to 1 in 8 at the more conservative threshold of ≥13). Almost 1 in 3 women were classed as high anxiety, using the state scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S, threshold ≥41), compared with 1 in 5 using the two-item GAD (threshold ≥3). Fewer than half of the women identified as high anxiety were identified by both measures. Factor analyses of the symptom measures were consistent with wider literature suggesting a three-item anxiety component of the EPDS; however, concurrent validation using regression analyses did not indicate that the EPDS could be used as an anxiety case finding instrument. Women reported that maternal stress had significant impact on their lives that may not be captured with existing clinical approaches. Women commonly found it difficult to self-assess severity of maternal stress and the assessment process could itself act as an intervention. The research provided the first validation of the depression case finding questions in UK clinical practice. The Whooley items completed in clinical practice identified only half of the possible cases identified by the EPDS, at both commonly adopted EPDS thresholds. Inclusion of the Arroll 'help' question as a criterion improved specificity of the assessment completed in clinical practice but substantially compromised sensitivity, missing 9 in 10 possible cases. Women’s mental health history and treatment history were similarly under-reported, particularly concerning anxiety. APA was introduced into routine clinical practice without attention to topics of relevance to women, context of disclosure or to provision of adequate resources for consistently responding to identified need. Women experiencing, or at risk of, mild-moderate disorder were thus usually ineligible for further support. Implications: Care pathways are needed that encompass both assessing and responding to maternal stress, where communication with health professionals, subsequent referral and management are addressed. The development, implementation and evaluation of low-cost resources embedded in such pathways are a priority and the research presented in the thesis offers a foundation on which to build.

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a significant cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Because BD is hard to detect and treat, these individuals often go without care. This dissertation was designed to: (1) identify the prevalence rates of BD and bipolar-spectrum mood episodes in perinatal individuals, (2) understand pertinent barriers to mental healthcare, and (3) elucidate how to bridge healthcare gaps. Methods: Data sources included: primary qualitative and quantitative data from obstetric clinicians, encounter data from Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program (MCPAP) for Moms, a program aimed at helping clinicians to provide mental healthcare to perinatal patients. Analyses included: descriptive statistics, systematic review and meta-analysis, qualitative data analyses, longitudinal regression analyses, and group-based trajectory modeling. Results: The prevalence of BD in perinatal individuals was 2.6% (95% CI: 1.2 to 4.5%). Twenty to 54.9% were found to have a bipolar-spectrum mood episode. Barriers to mental healthcare for perinatal patients with BD included the paucity of psychiatric resources, difficulties in assessing BD, and stigma towards pharmacotherapy. Obstetric clinicians reported that MCPAP for Moms has helped them feel more comfortable in treating patients with BD. Longitudinal analyses of encounter data corroborated these findings - utilization of the program predicted increased clinician capacity to treat BD. Conclusion: Clinicians for perinatal individuals are being called upon and stepping up to care for complex illnesses like BD. Programs like MCPAP for Moms can help them feel more confident in this role, helping to bridge gaps in perinatal mental healthcare and ensuring that individuals with BD are able to receive appropriate care.