PREGNANCY, WOMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEPRIVATION: A PARTICIPATORY QUALITATIVE STUDY

Franks, Wendy (2013) PREGNANCY, WOMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEPRIVATION: A PARTICIPATORY QUALITATIVE STUDY. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

Background/objectives
Women’s mental health during pregnancy is important for individual and family
well-being. British public health and academic policy and guidance promotes service
user involvement in health care and research, however collaborative research
remains underrepresented in literature relating to pregnant women’s mental health.
The aim of this participatory research was to explore women’s and professionals’
perspectives on mental health and on services for pregnant women.
Method
This qualitative research was undertaken with the involvement of three community
members who had firsthand experience of mental health problems during pregnancy.
All members of the team were involved in study design, recruitment, data generation
and different stages of thematic analysis. Data were transcribed individual and group
discussions with 17 women who self-identified as experiencing mental health
problems during pregnancy and 16 professionals who work with this group. Means
of establishing trustworthiness included triangulation, researcher reflexivity, peer
debriefing and comprehensive data analysis.
Findings
Commonalities and differences between women’s and professionals’ perspectives
were examined with particular reference to contexts of relational, systemic and
ecological conditions in women’s and professionals’ lives. There were significant
areas of commonality including:
• Factors that undermine women’s mental health during pregnancy
• Levels of formal and informal support available to women
• Professionals’ knowledge and organisational pressures
• Accessibility of specialist services
• What is needed to support women’s mental health
Conclusions and Recommendations
Women’s mental health is predominantly undermined or supported by relational,
experiential and material factors. The local context of socio-economic deprivation is
a significant influence on women’s mental health and service demand, capacity and
resources. Recommendations are made in relation to community and service
developments, staff support and training, and future research.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > School of Nursing and Midwifery (former - to 2011)
Depositing User:	Users 2259 not found.
Date Deposited:	09 Jul 2014 13:33
Last Modified:	09 Jul 2014 13:33
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/49480
DOI:

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