title: Barriers to seeking help and treatment suggestions for prenatal depressive symptoms: focus groups with rural low-income women.
abstract: Interviews were conducted with 21 pregnant or recently pregnant African American and Caucasian low-income women living in a rural southeastern community to elicit perceived barriers to seeking help for depressive symptoms in pregnancy and ways to overcome these barriers, as well as intervention suggestions. Participants identified themes regarding barriers to seeking help. These were: (1) lack of trust, (2) judgment/stigma, (3) dissatisfaction with the health care system, and (4) not wanting help. Themes identified regarding overcoming barriers were: (1) facilitating trust and (2) offering support and help. These and other findings point to the importance of integrating women's ideas into culturally sensitive interventions for women with depressive symptoms or depression in pregnancy that can be provided by a psychiatric nurse-practitioner or other mental health provider.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27858, USA. jessed@ecu.edu
authors.forename: D Elizabeth
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Jesse
authors.forename: Christyn L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Dolbier
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blanchard
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012944:Social Support; D015144:Southeastern United States; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035502:Trust; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology