Stakeholder perspectives on antenatal depression and the potential for psychological intervention in rural Ethiopia: a qualitative study.

Journal: BMC pregnancy and childbirth

Volume: 20

Issue: 1

Year of Publication: 2021

Affiliated Institutions:  Department of Psychology, Debre Markos University, Institute of Educational and Behavioural Sciences, Debre Markos, Ethiopia. tesera@gmail.com. Section of Women's Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. Perinatal Mental Health Project, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. Alan J. Fisher Centre for Public Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa. Addis Ababa University, College of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre in Mental Health Research and Capacity-Building, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Abstract summary 

Psychological interventions for antenatal depression are an integral part of evidence-based care but need to be contextualised for respective sociocultural settings. In this study, we aimed to understand women and healthcare workers' (HCWs) perspectives of antenatal depression, their treatment preferences and potential acceptability and feasibility of psychological interventions in the rural Ethiopian context.In-depth interviews were conducted with women who had previously scored above the locally validated cut-off (five or more) on the Patient Health Questionnaire during pregnancy (n = 8), primary healthcare workers (HCWs; nurses, midwives and health officers) (n = 8) and community-based health extension workers (n = 7). Translated interview transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis.Women expressed their distress largely through somatic complaints, such as a headache and feeling weak. Facility and community-based HCWs suspected antenatal depression when women reported reduced appetite, sleep problems, difficulty bonding with the baby, or if they refused to breast-feed or were poorly engaged with antenatal care. Both women and HCWs perceived depression as a reaction ("thinking too much") to social adversities such as poverty, marital conflict, perinatal complications and losses. Depressive symptoms and social adversities were often attributed to spiritual causes. Women awaited God's will in isolation at home or talked to neighbours as coping mechanisms. HCWs' motivation to provide help, the availability of integrated primary mental health care and a culture among women of seeking advice were potential facilitators for acceptability of a psychological intervention. Fears of being seen publicly during pregnancy, domestic and farm workload and staff shortages in primary healthcare were potential barriers to acceptability of the intervention. Antenatal care providers such as midwives were considered best placed to deliver interventions, given their close interaction with women during pregnancy.Women and HCWs in rural Ethiopia linked depressive symptoms in pregnancy with social adversities, suggesting that interventions which help women cope with real-world difficulties may be acceptable. Intervention design should accommodate the identified facilitators and barriers to implementation.

Authors & Co-authors:  Bitew Tesera T Keynejad Roxanne R Honikman Simone S Sorsdahl Katherine K Myers Bronwyn B Fekadu Abebaw A Hanlon Charlotte C

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations :  Fisher J, Mello M, Patel V, Rahman A, Tran T, Holtn S, et al. Prevalence and determinants of common perinatal mentala disorders in low income and lower middle income countries: a systematic review. Bull World Health Organ. 2012;90:139–149.
Authors :  7
Identifiers
Doi : 371
SSN : 1471-2393
Study Population
Women
Mesh Terms
Adult
Other Terms
Acceptability;Antenatal depressive symptoms;Conceptualisation;Ethiopia;Qualitative study
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Qualitative
Country of Study
Ethiopia
Publication Country
England