Awareness, Attitudes, and Help-Seeking Intention Towards Perinatal Depression Among Women from Different Ethnic...

Mental health services for perinatal depression remain underutilized in China. This study examined awareness, attitudes, and help-seeking intentions regarding perinatal depression among women from different ethnic groups in rural western China.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Yunnan Province in May 2022 among pregnant women and women within one year postpartum. Perinatal depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS; cutoff ≥9), and social support was measured using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Help-seeking intention outcomes included willingness to seek help for depression if needed, willingness to seek support from non-professionals, and willingness to seek professional help. Chi-square tests, Fisher's exact tests, and multiple logistic regression models were used.

Of 1,217 participants, 1,152 were included in the final analysis, comprising 464 Han women (40.28%), 498 Zhuang women (43.23%), and 190 women from other ethnic minority groups (16.49%). Overall, 12.67% had perinatal depressive symptoms and 13.89% reported negative emotions lasting more than two weeks, among these women, only 4.38% had used mental health services. Additionally, 26.91% had never heard of depression, 49.57% were unaware of available treatments, and 55.21% did not know where to seek treatment. Factors associated with help-seeking intentions varied across ethnic groups: among Han women, belief in the preventability and curability of depression was associated with greater willingness to seek professional help (OR=2.679, 95% CI: 1.329-5.401); among Zhuang women, stronger family support was associated with greater overall help-seeking intention (OR=2.660, 95% CI: 1.087-6.508); among other ethnic minority women, salaried employment was associated with lower overall help-seeking intention (OR=0.044, 95% CI: 0.005-0.403).

Women from different ethnic groups in rural western China had limited awareness of perinatal depression and mental health services. Targeted education and supportive interventions, particularly for ethnic minority women, are needed to improve mental health literacy and help-seeking.