scholarly journals Experiences of how services supporting women with perinatal mental health difficulties work with their families: a qualitative study in England

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e030208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Billie Lever Taylor ◽  
Jo Billings ◽  
Nicola Morant ◽  
Debra Bick ◽  
Sonia Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Family Involvement ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Perinatal Mental Health ◽  
Health Access ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Mental Health Access

ObjectivesPartners and wider family members play a vital role in relation to women’s perinatal mental health. Clinical guidelines in the UK and internationally recommend that services supporting women with perinatal mental health difficulties involve and support their families too. However, little is known about family members’ needs and experiences, or whether they feel included by mental health services. This study set out to explore this.MethodsThis research formed part of a wider study exploring experiences of perinatal mental health care in England. The broader study included semi-structured interviews with 52 women across England who received treatment for a perinatal mental health difficulty, and 32 family members identified by the women as offering them some support. Data from these 84 interviews relating to how services work with partners and families were extracted and analysed thematically.ResultsAnalysis identified three overarching themes: (1) the centrality of women’s families to their perinatal mental health/access to support, (2) experiences of partners and families being excluded by services and (3) ambivalence among women and their families about increasing family involvement/support. We found that partners and families appear to have an important influence on women’s perinatal mental health, access to care and interactions with services, but that services tend to focus on individual women (and babies) with little regard for their wider family context. The complexity of involving and supporting partners and families, coupled with anxiety about this among women and their families, reinforces the tendency to marginalise them.ConclusionInvolving women’s families and providing the support they need is challenging, but important. Experiences of women and their families of services treating perinatal mental health difficulties suggests greater focus is needed on overcoming barriers to family inclusion and on challenging underlying gender roles and expectations, rather than allowing these to shape and guide practice.

scholarly journals Experiences of Improving Access to Psychological Therapy Services for Perinatal Mental Health Difficulties: a Qualitative Study of Women's and Therapists’ Views

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 421-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lottie Millett ◽  
Billie Lever Taylor ◽  
Louise M. Howard ◽  
Debra Bick ◽  
Nicky Stanley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Psychological Treatment ◽  
Perinatal Period ◽  
Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Psychological Therapy ◽  
Perinatal Mental Health ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Barriers To Access ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties

Background: Perinatal mental health difficulties are highly prevalent. In England, the Improving Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT) programme provides evidence-based psychological treatment, predominantly in the form of brief manualized cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), to people with mild to moderate depression or anxiety. Yet little is known about the experiences of women referred to IAPT with perinatal mental health difficulties. Aims: The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate how women view IAPT support for perinatal mental health. We also gained the perspective of IAPT therapists. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve women who had been referred to and/or received therapy from IAPT during the perinatal period. Additionally, fourteen IAPT therapists participated in two focus groups. Thematic analysis was used. Results: Key themes centred on barriers to access and the need to tailor support to (expectant) mothers. Women and therapists suggested that experiences could be improved by supporting healthcare professionals to provide women with more help with referrals, better tailoring support to the perinatal context, improving perinatal-specific training, supervision and resources, and offering a more individualized treatment environment. Conclusions: Overall, women reported positive experiences of support offered by IAPT for perinatal mental health difficulties. However, services should seek to facilitate access to support and to enable therapists to better tailor treatment.

scholarly journals Migrant mothers' experiences of perinatal mental ill health in the UK and their expectations of healthcare

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-38
Author(s):  
Ranjana Das ◽  
Daniel Beszlag
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Maternal Mental Health ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
The Uk

A large body of research has found that mothers from ethnic minority groups are at high risk of maternal mental health difficulties. This article presents a study of women from ethnic minority and migrant groups in the UK who experienced mental health difficulties in order to investigate obstacles they met in communicating their challenges with health professionals. Thirty qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed. The findings show that mental health is often a taboo in ethnic minority communities, and that a lack of stimulus and ability to communicate their struggles is one of the main drivers of mental ill-health. Support groups and social media create promising opportunities for combating the issue at hand, but social services, medication, NHS understaffing and insufficient attention paid to mothers by health professionals are the main obstacles met by participants in sourcing support. Research is concluded with recommendations regarding the findings.

scholarly journals Loss and assimilation: Lived experiences of Brexit for British nationals living in Luxembourg

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Maria Knight ◽  
Dean Fido ◽  
Henry William Lennon ◽  
Craig A. Harper
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Critical Realist ◽  
Political Upheaval ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Political Realities

Inconsistent political realities are associated with mental health issues such as hopelessness, anxiety, and depression. The psychological impact of Brexit is clearly an important and timely issue, but hitherto has been understudied. This study uses a critical realist approach to qualitatively explore the lived experiences of British Citizens living in Luxembourg during the Brexit era. The study carried out semi-structured interviews with 8 British nationals aged 18-65. An experientially-focused Thematic Analysis was conducted, exploring two main themes: Loss (with psychological and broader social implications) and Integration (contrasting the mover's community with the receiving community). This study demonstrates the psychological impact of Brexit and highlights the urgency for future researchers and mental health practitioners alike – both in the UK and overseas – to consider the human consequences associated with political upheaval. Open access materials for this project can be viewed here: https://osf.io/38rg7/?view_only=b8c04dfc3fe5474f9aff4897e370b3e6.

MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS BACKGROUND AND FRAMEWORK FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE DIGITAL ERA

2022 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 0-0
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Health Access ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Problem Space ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Processing Information ◽  
Online Access ◽  
Mental Health Access

Mental Health consists of a wide range of conditions affecting an individual’s behavior, mood, and thinking. A gap between providers and consumers exists due to the lack of resources available for online mental health access. Research shows limited information available for processing information and pursuing professional services to become healthy. The purpose of this literature review is to provide framework that contributes to Mental Health online access and improving digital therapy. Suggested approaches listed in addition to graphics that summarize the problem space and provide potential solutions.

Mental Health Access Issues by People of Refugee Backgrounds in Australia

2021 ◽  
pp. 1076-1094
Author(s):  
Ndungi wa Mungai ◽  
Jeanette Ninnis ◽  
Ruth (Isobel) Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Critical Discussion ◽  
Health Access ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Cultural Setting ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Mental Health Access

This chapter presents a critical discussion on the understanding and access of mental health services by people from diverse refugee backgrounds delivered in a Western cultural setting. Mental health services are heavily influenced by a biomedical approach, but there is a growing understanding of the importance of culture and biopsychosocial approaches. This chapter highlights some of the institutional and cultural issues that need to be addressed for the services to be effective. Practical approaches that have worked in different places are explored and critically discussed. A recovery-oriented model that recognizes that the individual is part of the community and the importance of spirituality are canvassed.

scholarly journals Ensuring mental health access for vulnerable populations in COVID era

2020 ◽  
Vol 129 ◽  
pp. 147-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonard E. Egede ◽  
Kenneth J. Ruggiero ◽  
B. Christopher Frueh
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Health Access ◽  
Mental Health Access

Perinatal mental health provision across the UK

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 528-534
Author(s):  
David Hancock
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Perinatal Mental Health ◽  
New Mothers ◽  
Health Visitors ◽  
The Uk

A critical report has found that many new mothers still do not know where to turn for help and support with their mental health. Dave Hancock looks into the implications for health visitors and service provision around the country

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