title: Women׳s help-seeking behaviours for depressive symptoms during the perinatal period: Socio-demographic and clinical correlates and perceived barriers to seeking professional help.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to characterize the help-seeking behaviours of women who were screened positive for perinatal depression, to investigate its sociodemographic and clinical correlates, and to characterize the perceived barriers that prevent women from seeking professional help.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional internet survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were recruited through advertisements published in pamphlets and posted on social media websites (e.g., Facebook) and websites and forums that focused on pregnancy and childbirth.
  
  
  METHODS
  656 women (currently pregnant or who had a baby during the last 12 months) completed the survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were assessed with the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale, and were questioned about sociodemographic and clinical data, help-seeking behaviours and perceived barriers to help-seeking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Different pathways of help-seeking were found, with only 13.6% of women with a perinatal depression seeking help for their emotional problems. Married women, currently pregnant women, and women without history of psychological problems had a higher likelihood of not engaging in any type of help-seeking behaviour. The majority of women who had not sought professional assistance identified several barriers to help-seeking, particularly knowledge barriers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Strategies to increase women׳s help-seeking behaviours should be implemented, namely improving mental health literacy, introducing screening procedures for mental health problems in pre/postnatal health care settings, and offering women innovative opportunities (e.g., web-based tools) that allow them to overcome the practical barriers to help-seeking.
authors.affiliation: Cognitive-Behavioral Center for Research and Intervention (CINEICC) of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Rua do Colégio Novo, Apartado 6153, 3001-802 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: ana.fonseca77@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Department of Neurosciences and Behavior Sciences, Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900, Monte Alegre - Campos Universitário, 14048-900 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: rgorayeb@fmrp.usp.br.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gorayeb
authors.affiliation: Cognitive-Behavioral Center for Research and Intervention (CINEICC) of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Rua do Colégio Novo, Apartado 6153, 3001-802 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: mccanavarro@fpce.uc.pt.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Canavarro
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000628:therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D000066505:Help-Seeking Behavior; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D018743:Perinatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Barriers to care; Help-seeking behaviours; Perinatal depression; Perinatal period; Survey