Enhancing public awareness: Insights from mothers and healthcare experts on postpartum depression - A qualitative...

Pregnancy and early motherhood represent periods of significant psychological vulnerability. An estimated 10-15% of mothers experience postpartum depression (PPD) annually in India. Maternal mental health (MMH) represents a critical public health concern, impacting both maternal and child well-being. This study constitutes the first qualitative exploration in India to examine perspectives of both mothers and healthcare professionals regarding PPD for the development of culturally appropriate educational intervention.

This qualitative exploratory study, conducted from April to August 2023, employed three focus group discussions among a total of 25 participants: 14 mothers attending immunization clinics at urban and rural primary health centres, and 11 healthcare professionals with expertise in MMH. Semi-structured discussion guides facilitated exploration of PPD awareness, cultural beliefs, barriers, and intervention preferences. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Five distinct themes emerged across two participant categories: PPD awareness, barriers to help-seeking, impact of PPD, management strategies, and video intervention preferences. Findings revealed a lack of PPD awareness among mothers. Public health experts perceived an increasing trend in the occurrence of PPD in rural settings. Both groups endorsed video interventions as effective tools, emphasizing it to be concise, available in regional language, and a multi-platform dissemination strategy.

This qualitative study reveals substantial knowledge gaps regarding PPD and suggests video interventions as effective tools towards awareness promotion. Culturally relevant educational interventions hold strong potential to enhance PPD literacy. Integrating these insights would enable health policy frameworks to strengthen early identification systems and improve care pathways.