Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 11, 2026
Signal Attenuation as a Rat Model of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Published on: January 9, 2015
Healthcare professionals' prioritisation of barriers to accessing evidence-based psychological therapy for perinatal
Alice Tunks1,2, Elizabeth Ford1, Clio Berry1
1Primary Care and Public Health Department, Brighton and Sussex Medical Schoolhttps://ror.org/01qz7fr76, UK.
Insights
Healthcare professionals identified their own knowledge gaps regarding perinatal obsessive-compulsive disorder (PNOCD) as the primary barrier to parents accessing treatment. Improving professional training is key to enhancing access to PNOCD support.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal mental health
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Healthcare access
Background:
- Perinatal obsessive-compulsive disorder (PNOCD) affects up to 20% of individuals in the perinatal period.
- Effective treatments exist, but parents face significant barriers accessing evidence-based psychological therapy.
- Understanding healthcare professionals' views on these barriers is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prioritize barriers to accessing PNOCD therapy based on importance and amenability to change.
- To gather insights from the perspective of healthcare professionals.
Main Methods:
- A survey was administered to 203 healthcare professionals across various care settings.
- Participants ranked 47 identified barriers, organized into seven clusters, by importance and amenability to change.
- Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the non-parametric Friedman's test.
Main Results:
- Healthcare professionals' knowledge and training on PNOCD were ranked as the most important and amenable barrier to change.
- Parents' awareness of PNOCD and services, along with their attitudes towards mental health and healthcare providers, were ranked second.
- These findings highlight key areas for intervention to improve treatment access.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare professionals perceive a lack of adequate knowledge and training among colleagues as the primary obstacle to parents accessing PNOCD therapy.
- Targeted training for professionals is recommended to improve access to care.
- Addressing parental awareness and attitudes is also vital for enhancing access to PNOCD support.
Background:
Perinatal obsessive-compulsive disorder (PNOCD) can impact up to one in five individuals in the perinatal period. Whilst effective treatment for PNOCD is available, parents experience barriers accessing this evidence-based psychological therapy. Healthcare professionals' perspectives on barriers to accessing support are valuable to develop targeted interventions to increase access to support for PNOCD.
Aim:
This study aimed to prioritise a list of barriers to accessing therapy for PNOCD, in terms of importance and amenability to change, from the perspective of healthcare professionals.
Method:
203 healthcare professionals from across primary, community and secondary care services completed a survey where they ranked barriers in terms of importance and amenability to change. Barriers were ranked within clusters and across cluster names; 47 barriers were organised into seven clusters. Rankings were analysed using descriptive statistics and the non-parametric Friedman's test.
Results:
Professionals ranked healthcare professionals' knowledge and training on PNOCD as the barrier which was most important and amenable to change. Parents' knowledge and awareness of PNOCD and services, their attitudes to mental health problems, and their attitudes towards healthcare professionals and services were ranked as the second most important and amenable to change.
Conclusion:
Professionals view their colleagues' knowledge and training on PNOCD as the most important barrier impacting parents access to evidence-based therapy for PNOCD. Training for professionals could be targeted to increase access. Parents' awareness and attitudes surrounding PNOCD, mental health and services were also identified by professionals as an important barrier and is recommended to be targeted to increase access.
More Related Videos
14:43A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting
Published on: January 12, 2018
09:14Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: March 14, 2025
Related Concept Videos
01:28Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
01:21Barriers to Effective Communication II
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
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...
01:30Psychosurgery
Historical Development of Psychosurgery
In the 1930s, Portuguese neurologist Antonio Egas Moniz introduced a surgical procedure designed...
01:24Operant Conditioning Intervention
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
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...