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Mollons M, Levasseur-Puhach S, Kaur J, Doyle J, Giesbrecht G, Lebel CA, Woods L, Tomfohr-Madsen L, Roos L. Mixed-methods study exploring health service access and social support linkage to the mental well-being of Canadian Indigenous pregnant persons during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e078388. [PMID: 38553054 PMCID: PMC11005712 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to explore how the unprecedented stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to heightened levels of depression and anxiety among pregnant Indigenous persons, and identify protective individual-level factors. DESIGN The current study used a mixed-methods design including standardised questionnaires and open-ended response questions. Using hierarchical regression models, we examined the extent to which COVID-19-related factors of service disruption (ie, changes to prenatal care, changes to birth plans and social support) were associated with mental well-being. Further, through qualitative analyses of open-ended questions, we examined the coping strategies used by pregnant Indigenous persons in response to the pandemic. SETTING Participants responded to an online questionnaire consisting of standardised measures from 2020 to 2021. PARTICIPANTS The study included 336 self-identifying Indigenous pregnant persons in Canada. RESULTS Descriptive results revealed elevated rates of clinically relevant depression (52.7%) and anxiety (62.5%) symptoms among this population. 76.8% of participants reported prenatal care service disruptions, including appointment cancellations. Thematic analyses identified coping themes of staying informed, social and/or cultural connections and activities, and internal mental well-being strategies. Disruptions to services and decreased quality of prenatal care negatively impacted mental well-being of Indigenous pregnant persons during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS Given the potential for mental well-being challenges to persist and long-term effects of perinatal distress, it is important to examine the quality of care that pregnant individuals receive. Service providers should advance policies and practices that promote relationship quality and health system engagement as key factors linked to well-being during the perinatal period for Indigenous persons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Mollons
- Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | | | - Jasleen Kaur
- Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Jennifer Doyle
- Educational and Counselling Psychology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Gerald Giesbrecht
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Province of Alberta, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Province of Alberta, Canada
| | - Catherine A Lebel
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Province of Alberta, Canada
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Province of Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen
- Educational and Counselling Psychology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Leslie Roos
- Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- University of Manitoba Children's Hospital Research Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Zhu Y, Li X, Chen J, Gong W. Perinatal depression trajectories and child development at one year: a study in China. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2024; 24:176. [PMID: 38448846 PMCID: PMC10918895 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-024-06330-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The objective of the current study was to investigate the correlation between trajectories of maternal perinatal depression (PND) spanning from early pregnancy to one year postpartum and developmental delays observed in one-year-old children. METHODS The dataset under examination encompassed 880 women who took part in a mother-child birth study conducted in China. Latent class growth analysis (LCGA) was employed to identify patterns in Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores of women, spanning from early pregnancy to one year postpartum. To assess the neurodevelopment of one-year-old children, a Chinese version of the Bayley Scale of Infant Development (BSID-CR) was employed. Logistic regression was employed to explore the association between PND trajectories and developmental delays in children, with appropriate covariate adjustments. RESULTS The trajectories of maternal PND identified in this study included a minimal-stable symptom group (n = 155), low-stable symptom group (n = 411), mild-stable symptom group (n = 251), and moderate-stable symptom group (n = 63). Logistic regression analysis revealed that mothers falling into the moderate-stable symptom group exhibited a notably heightened risk of having a child with psychomotor developmental delays at the age of one year. CONCLUSIONS The findings drawn from a representative sample in China provide compelling empirical evidence that bolsters the association between maternal PND and the probability of psychomotor developmental delays in children. It is imperative to develop tailored intervention strategies and meticulously design mother-infant interactive intervention programs for women with PND.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Zhu
- School of Nursing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoyu Li
- HER Team and Department of Maternal and Child Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Hunan, China
| | - Junyu Chen
- School of Nursing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenjie Gong
- HER Team and Department of Maternal and Child Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Hunan, China.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA.
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
- Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, 172 Tongzipo Road, Yuelu District, Changsha, 410006, Hunan, China.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW As maternal mortality climbs in the USA with mental health conditions driving these preventable deaths, the field of reproductive psychiatry must shift towards identification of women and other birthing individuals at risk and facilitating access. This review brings together recent studies regarding risk of perinatal depression and highlights important comorbidities that place individuals at higher vulnerability to poor perinatal outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS Recent research suggests that identifying risk for perinatal depression including historical diagnoses of depression, anxiety, trauma, and comorbid substance use and intimate partner violence may move the field to focus on preventive care in peripartum populations. Emerging data shows stark health inequities in racial and ethnic minority populations historically marginalized by the health system and in other vulnerable groups such as LGBTQ+ individuals and those with severe mental illness. Innovative models of care using systems-level approaches can provide opportunities for identification and risk analyses of vulnerable peripartum patients and facilitate access to therapeutic or preventive interventions. Utilizing intergenerational approaches and leveraging multidisciplinary teams that thoughtfully target high-risk women and other birthing individuals could promote significant changes to population-level care in maternal health.
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Bellomo A, Severo M, Petito A, Nappi L, Iuso S, Altamura M, Marconcini A, Giannaccari E, Maruotti G, Palma GL, Vicino M, Perrone A, Tufariello AM, Sannicandro V, Milano E, Arcidiacono G, Di Salvatore M, Caroli A, Di Pinto I, Ventriglio A. Perinatal depression screening and prevention: Descriptive findings from a multicentric program in the South of Italy. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:962948. [PMID: 35990082 PMCID: PMC9389401 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.962948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Perinatal depression (PD) is a cluster of clinical depressive symptoms occurring globally during pregnancy or after childbirth, with a prevalence of 11.9%. Risk factors for PD among pregnant women may include personality traits of neuroticism, low personal resilience, higher anxiety, avoidance in close relationships, as well as dysfunctional coping strategies. METHODS We report on descriptive findings of a screening/prevention program aimed to detect depressive symptoms and associated risk factors in a large sample of women (N = 1,664) accessing the gynecological departments of the Regione Puglia (South of Italy) from July to November 2020. Pregnant women were assessed in their third trimester of pregnancy (T0), after childbirth (T1), and those at risk for PD within 1 year from delivery (T2-T4); The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) has been employed for the screening of PD over time as well as other standardized measures for neuroticism, resilience, coping strategies, and quality of life. RESULTS Of 1,664, n = 1,541 were tested at T1, and 131 scored ≥ 12 at EPDS (14.6 ± 2.95), showing a higher risk for PD. They were followed over time at 1, 6, and 12 months after childbirth (T2-T4), and 15 of them scored ≥ 12 (EPDS) at T4. Women with a higher risk of PD also reported higher levels of neuroticism, lower levels of personal resilience, more anxiety and avoidance in close relationships, higher employment of dysfunctional coping strategies (e.g., denial, self-blame, etc.), and lower quality of life (0.0008 < all p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION This study confirmed the benefit of screening programs for the early detection of PD among pregnant women. We may suggest a set of risk factors to be considered in the clinical assessment of PD risk as well as the promotion of similar programs to improve depressive outcomes and pathways to care for PD on the basis of a more accurate assessment and referral.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonello Bellomo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Melania Severo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Annamaria Petito
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Luigi Nappi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Salvatore Iuso
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Mario Altamura
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | | | | | - Giuseppe Maruotti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | | | - Mario Vicino
- Unit of Gynecology, Di Venere Hospital, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Anna Maria Tufariello
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Valeria Sannicandro
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Eleonora Milano
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Giulia Arcidiacono
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Melanie Di Salvatore
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | | | - Isabella Di Pinto
- Dipartimento Promozione Della Salute e del Benessere Animale, Regione Puglia, Bari, Italy
| | - Antonio Ventriglio
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
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