Screening and Referral for Postpartum Depression among Low-Income Women: A Qualitative Perspective from Community Health Workers

Authors: Rhonda C. Boyd, Marjie Mogul, Deena Newman and James C. Coyne

Postpartum depression is a serious and common psychiatric illness. Mothers living in poverty are more likely to be depressed and have greater barriers to accessing treatment than the general population. Mental health utilization is particularly limited for women with postpartum depression and low-income, minority women. As part of an academic-community partnership, focus groups were utilized to examine staﬀ practices, barriers, and facilitators in mental health referrals for women with depression within a community nonproﬁt agency serving low-income pregnant and postpartum women. Three focus groups with 16 community health workers were conducted. Six themes were identiﬁed: (1) screening and referral, (2) facilitators to referral, (3) barriers to referral, (4) culture and language, (5) life events, and (6) support. The study identiﬁed several barriers and facilitators for referring postpartum women with depression to mental health services.