Contemplating Help-Seeking in Perinatal Psychological Distress—A Meta-Ethnography
- Resource Type
- Authors
- Minna Sorsa; Jari Kylmä; Terese Bondas
- Source
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol 18, Iss 5226, p 5226 (2021)
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH)
- Subject
- psykisk helse
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
metaetnografi
Mothers
Medisinske Fag: 700::Klinisk medisinske fag: 750::Gynekologi og obstetrikk: 756 [VDP]
Review
Medisinske Fag: 700::Klinisk medisinske fag: 750::Psykiatri, barnepsykiatri: 757 [VDP]
Psychological Distress
Developmental psychology
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
prevention
Pregnancy
Surveys and Questionnaires
medicine
Humans
perinatal mental health
030212 general & internal medicine
Child
fødselsdepresjon
Mental health literacy
Anthropology, Cultural
Qualitative Research
030219 obstetrics & reproductive medicine
meta-synthesis
treatment
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
mental helse
Service provider
Checklist
Help-seeking
Outreach
Critical appraisal
perinatal depression/anxiety
metasyntese
help-seeking behavior
Mental Health
Action (philosophy)
kvinnehelse
Medicine
Anxiety
Female
meta-ethnography
medicine.symptom
Psychology
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 1660-4601
1661-7827
Perinatal psychological distress (PPD) may cause delays in help-seeking in the perinatal period, which is crucial for families with small children. Help-seeking theories focus on rational processes of behavior wherein ‘help-seeking’ is viewed as a decision-making process, in which action is preceded by recognizing a problem. We identified the phase prior to actual help-seeking actions as a life situation and a phenomenon through which to gain a deeper understanding from women’s own perspectives. The aim of this study was to integrate and synthesize knowledge of women’s experiences of contemplating seeking help for PPD. We chose interpretative meta-ethnography by Noblit and Hare (1988) and implemented eMERGe guidelines in reporting. The search was performed systematically, and the 14 included studies were evaluated with Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist (CASP). We identified seven themes and a metaphor in a lines-of-argument synthesis, showing that contemplating help-seeking is a multidimensional phenomenon. We did not observe a straightforward and linear process (as previous research suggests) but instead a complex process of contemplating help-seeking. A clinical implication is that service providers should work with outreach and develop their tools to connect with mothers with PPD. Another suggestion is to improve training in mental health literacy prior to or during pregnancy.