Factors Related to Seeking Help for Postpartum Depression: A Secondary Analysis of New York City PRAMS Data

Silvia Manso-Córdoba, Sarah Pickering, Miguel A. Ortega, Ángel Asúnsolo and Diana Romero
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Silvia Manso-Córdoba: Department of Surgery, Medical and Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 28801 Madrid, Spain
Sarah Pickering: Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY 10010, USA
Miguel A. Ortega: Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 28801 Madrid, Spain
Ángel Asúnsolo: Department of Surgery, Medical and Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 28801 Madrid, Spain
Diana Romero: Department of Community Health and Social Sciences, City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, New York, NY 10010, USA

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 24, 1-13

Abstract: Postpartum depression (PPD) affects 13% of mothers and can have a major impact on their lives and those of their children. However, most cases go undiagnosed, and the risk factors for this underdiagnosis are not yet fully known. We intended to analyze the influence of different sociodemographic and health factors associated with symptoms of postpartum depression. Data from the New York City Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) for 2016–2017 were analyzed. 618 women met the inclusion criterion of recurring depressive symptoms. Most women who experienced PPD symptoms did not seek help. Seeking help was a much better predictor of the diagnosis of PPD when compared to questions regarding symptoms. The most important factors related to a decreased risk of not asking for help were having a previous mental health history and having doctor visits for a chronic illness. The racial group most at risk of not asking for help were Asian/Pacific Islander (API) women. Interventions aimed at reducing the stigma and increasing knowledge of PPD should be incorporated into the antenatal education of expectant mothers, particularly among women who may not have previously sought care for mental or chronic illnesses.

Keywords: postpartum depression; stigma; women’s health; pregnancy; mental health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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