Psychiatric training in perinatal mental health across Europe
Marisa Casanova Dias1,2, Ekin Sönmez Güngör3, Sean Naughton4
1MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, National Centre for Mental Health, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK. casanovadiasm@cardiff.ac.uk.
Insights
Specialist perinatal mental health training is scarce in Europe, with only 18% of countries offering it. Most European psychiatric trainees desire integrated perinatal psychiatry training to address critical maternal and infant mental health needs.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Perinatal Mental Health
- Medical Education
Background:
- Perinatal mental illness significantly impacts maternal and infant health outcomes.
- Existing postgraduate training lacks specific guidelines for perinatal psychiatry in Europe.
- There is a critical need to enhance the mental healthcare for women during the perinatal period.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the availability and characteristics of specialist perinatal psychiatry training across Europe.
- To understand the desires of European psychiatrists in training regarding perinatal mental health education.
- To identify gaps in current training programs.
Main Methods:
- An online survey was distributed to 34 national psychiatric trainee representatives of the European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees (EFPT).
- Follow-up in-depth interviews were conducted with participants from countries offering perinatal psychiatry training.
- Data were collected on the availability, structure, and content of training programs.
Main Results:
- Only 6 out of 34 (18%) European countries reported available specialist perinatal mental health training.
- The training varied significantly in duration, supervision, and assessment models.
- 22 out of 28 (76%) countries without specialist training expressed a strong desire to include it in their curricula.
Conclusions:
- A significant gap exists between the required skills for perinatal mental healthcare and the current training provisions for psychiatrists.
- The limited availability of specialized training contrasts with the high demand from trainees.
- Urgent action is needed to develop and implement comprehensive postgraduate perinatal psychiatry training across Europe to improve maternal and infant mental health outcomes.
Abstract:
Perinatal mental illness is associated with considerable maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. However, there are currently no specific guidelines on the standards and structure of postgraduate perinatal psychiatric training in Europe. We describe the characteristics of available and desired specialist perinatal psychiatry training from the perspective of European psychiatrists in training. An online survey was conducted among 34 national psychiatric trainee association representatives of the European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees (EFPT). Participants from the countries in which perinatal psychiatry training was available were invited to participate in in-depth follow-up interviews. Six countries out of 34 (18%) reported that specialist training in perinatal mental health was available (Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Malta, and the UK). The nature of available training varied in duration, the supervision and assessment model employed, and the training scheme context. Of the 28 countries where specialist perinatal psychiatry training was unavailable, the majority of national representatives (22 countries, 76%) wanted specialist perinatal psychiatry training to be included in their national training curricula. There is a gap between the expected skills and the available training for psychiatrists to meet the mental healthcare needs of women in the perinatal period. Given the prevalence and impact of perinatal mental illness and the expressed desires of trainees themselves for specialist training, this finding should prompt urgent action.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:24Treatment Strategies for Psychological Disorders
Psychological therapies focus on modifying emotions, thoughts, and behaviors through talking, interpreting, listening, rewarding, challenging, and modeling. Clinical psychologists, counselors, and social workers commonly practice psychotherapy. Clinical...
01:29Psychodynamic Therapy
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-I
Daycare centers
They provide several functions. Some facilities care for healthy newborns and children whose parents work, while others are medically focused and care for...
01:30Community Based Intervention
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
01:29Theoretical Approaches to Psychological Disorder
Biological approach
The biological approach posits that internal, organic factors are the primary causes of such disorders. This perspective emphasizes brain structure and function, genetic predispositions, and neurotransmitter imbalances. For example, schizophrenia has been associated with both genetic...
01:30Psychosurgery
Historical Development of Psychosurgery
In the 1930s, Portuguese neurologist Antonio Egas Moniz introduced a surgical procedure designed...