Public Health Nursing Interventions in Managing Postpartum Depression
Sapkota, Alisa; KC, Rakshya (2025)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025093025420
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025093025420
Tiivistelmä
This literature review aimed to assess public health nursing practices for managing Postpartum Depression (PPD) and analyze associated care barriers. Maternal mental health problems occur within 15-30% of new mothers and bear adverse impacts on maternal and infant wellbeing. Despite nurses’ prominent roles in screening and providing educational and psychosocial support, optimal care is often hindered by systemic and sociocultural barriers.
In a systematic search of CINAHL and PubMed databases, 11 peer-reviewed articles published between 2016 and 2025 from Saudi Arabia, Japan, North Africa, the United States, Thailand, Australia and China. Application of inductive content analysis revealed two overarching themes: (1) Nursing interventions that encompass early screening such as the use of Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, psychoeducation, cognitive behavioral therapy, family-centered care, and follow-up monitoring, and (2) Barriers to care, characterized by lack of integration in healthcare systems, minimal training, socio-cultural stigma, and logistical barriers (financial and geographical).
The results indicated the presence of these gaps: ineffective nursing referrals, culturally competent PPD care, varying PPD nurse specialists’ competencies, and adapted PPD nurse-managed culturally competent referral patterns. The review calls for service policy changes driven by the need for strengthened training, integration of mental health services, and reduced service accessibility inequities.
In a systematic search of CINAHL and PubMed databases, 11 peer-reviewed articles published between 2016 and 2025 from Saudi Arabia, Japan, North Africa, the United States, Thailand, Australia and China. Application of inductive content analysis revealed two overarching themes: (1) Nursing interventions that encompass early screening such as the use of Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, psychoeducation, cognitive behavioral therapy, family-centered care, and follow-up monitoring, and (2) Barriers to care, characterized by lack of integration in healthcare systems, minimal training, socio-cultural stigma, and logistical barriers (financial and geographical).
The results indicated the presence of these gaps: ineffective nursing referrals, culturally competent PPD care, varying PPD nurse specialists’ competencies, and adapted PPD nurse-managed culturally competent referral patterns. The review calls for service policy changes driven by the need for strengthened training, integration of mental health services, and reduced service accessibility inequities.