Seeking mental health support for feelings of perinatal depression and/or anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative descriptive study of decision-making.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Rates of perinatal depression and anxiety increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. It remains unclear how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced risk perception and help-seeking behaviours among pregnant and postpartum individuals.

Objectives

To explore pregnant and postpartum individuals' decision-making process about when and how to seek support for feelings of depression and/or anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design

A qualitative descriptive design was used.

Methods

The current study is a secondary analysis of qualitative data collected for a larger mixed-methods project that recruited participants who gave birth from 1 May 2020, to 1 December 2021, in Ontario and British Columbia, Canada, using maximum variation and purposive sampling. Seventy-thr

SUBMITTER: Shen K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11439165 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature