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Barriers to Care for Antenatal Depression
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Barriers to Care for Antenatal Depression

Robin Cook Kopelman, Joy Moel, Carol Mertens, Scott Stuart, Stephan Arndt and Michael W O'Hara
Psychiatric Services, Vol.59(4), pp.429-432
04/2008
DOI: 10.1176/ps.2008.59.4.429
PMID: 18378843
url
https://doi.org/10.1176/ps.2008.59.4.429View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Abstract Objective: This study examined the individual-level factors impacting pregnant women's access to mental health treatment for depression. Methods: A total of 1,416 pregnant women receiving prenatal care completed measures of depressive symptomatology, willingness to seek treatment for depression or anxiety, and perceived barriers to seeking such care. Results: Women with Beck Depression Inventory scores >or=16 (indicating possible depression) (N=183) were more likely than women with lower scores (N=1,233) to identify the following barriers: cost, lack of insurance, lack of transportation, long waits for treatment, previous bad experience with mental health care, and not knowing where to go for treatment. Lower income was correlated with increased endorsement of cost and transportation as barriers. Conclusions: Results suggest that addressing financial and logistical barriers through changes in mental health services and policy will improve access to care for antenatal depression. However, attending to these issues alone will not address additional important barriers to care such as lack of trust.

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