Need Assessment for Health Education Service Provision on Maternal Depression Among Primary Health Care Service...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Mental Health
• Health Education

Background:

• Maternal depression is a growing concern in Nigeria, yet interventions are limited.
• Effective health education is crucial for addressing this public health issue.
• A needs assessment for health education services on maternal depression is necessary.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the needs of Primary Health Care (PHC) workers in Nigeria regarding health education for maternal depression.
• To identify barriers faced by PHC workers in providing health talks on maternal depression.
• To determine specific training and resource requirements for improving maternal depression health education.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, mixed-methods study design was employed.
• Data collection included Key Informant Interviews (KII) with 4 participants and a survey of 100 Health Workers (HWs).
• Data were analyzed thematically, using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests.

Main Results:

• Key informants identified communication barriers and lack of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials as significant obstacles.
• Survey respondents overwhelmingly reported a need for training (88.3%) and educational aid materials (61.7%).
• Other identified needs included maternal depression health education guides (27.7%) and additional staff (22.3%).

Conclusions:

• Primary Health Care workers require targeted training and accessible educational materials to effectively address maternal depression.
• Addressing the identified needs is crucial for enhancing health education services and improving maternal mental health outcomes in Nigeria.
• The study underscores the importance of equipping healthcare providers with the necessary tools and knowledge to combat maternal depression.