Perinatal mental illness (PMI) is a significant public health issue, affecting one in five birthing persons with symptoms of anxiety and/or depression during pregnancy or postpartum. A recent study titled "Developing consensus to enhance perinatal mental health through a model of integrated care: Delphi study" provides critical insights into improving perinatal mental health care through an integrated model.
This study, conducted by Ou et al. (2024), utilized a three-round Delphi process to develop a consensus-based model of integrated perinatal mental health (PMH) care. The study involved 47 participants, including professional experts in perinatal mental health and individuals with lived experience of PMI. The aim was to enhance service delivery and improve outcomes for parents and families.
Key domains identified in the study include:
- Person-Centred Care: Involves recognizing each person's unique preferences, values, and circumstances in decision-making.
- Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility, & Anti-Racism: Focuses on creating an environment free of racism and discrimination, ensuring culturally safe care.
- Care Delivery: Describes the design and delivery of interdisciplinary PMH services to improve care quality and continuity.
- Health Promotion & Illness Prevention: Strategies to enhance individuals' agency over their PMH and prevent PMI.
- Screening, Assessment & Triage: Processes related to identifying, assessing, and triaging PMI.
- Biopsychosocial Approach to Treatment: Evidence-based treatment strategies incorporating physical, psychological, and social aspects of PMI.
- Transition & Discharge Planning: Coordination and communication to support PMH clients' movement between care settings and into the community.
- Training & Education: Enhancing the skills and competencies of clinicians and support people working with PMH clients.
- Care Model Planning: Preparing an organization for implementing a culturally-safe, trauma-informed, integrated PMH model.
- Care Model Evaluation: Evaluating care models to facilitate continuous learning and improvement.
The study highlights the importance of mixed methods in achieving a comprehensive understanding of the model's adequacy and sufficiency. Qualitative feedback was instrumental in modifying indicators and adding new domains, ensuring the model's relevance and effectiveness.
For practitioners, implementing this integrated model can significantly enhance the quality, accessibility, and effectiveness of PMH care services. It is essential to consider both quantitative and qualitative data in developing and refining care models, ensuring they are culturally safe and inclusive.
Encouraging further research and pilot testing of this model in diverse settings will provide valuable insights into its feasibility and acceptability. This will ultimately contribute to better outcomes for parents and families affected by PMI.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Developing consensus to enhance perinatal mental health through a model of integrated care: Delphi study.
