Mental health service utilization among pregnant and postpartum women: status, determinants, and insights from a mixed-methods study.

Background: There is an increased risk of mental health disorders during pregnancy and postpartum period. However, care-seeking behaviors following positive screenings for maternal mental health disorders are poorly understood. Our study aimed to understand the rate of service utilization and determinants impacting the use of maternal mental health services.

Methods: A convergent parallel mixed-method was conducted combining quantitative and qualitative methods. A total of 561 pregnant and postpartum women who were screened positive for mental health issues in two Maternal and Child Health Hospitals in Shanghai, China were included in the quantitative survey. Barriers and facilitators for mental health service utilization were analyzed based on Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use (BMHSU). Individual in-depth interviews with 22 stakeholders including pregnant and postpartum women, their husbands, perinatal and mental health service managers and providers, were conducted to gain further insight into the service utilization behaviors.

Results: There were 45.5% of participants who did not use any format of maternal mental health services after positive screening for mental health. Factors associated with lower service utilization after positive screening included multipara (OR = 1.91, 95%CI: 1.18, 3.07, p = 0.01), higher education level (OR = 2.37, 95%CI: 1.16, 4.85, p = 0.02), higher perceived financial pressure (OR = 2.24, 95%CI: 1.12, 4.47, p = 0.02), low spousal support for utilizing mental health services (OR = 3.07, 95%CI: 1.89, 4.98, p<0.001), lack of awareness of community mental health service facilities (OR = 2.84, 95%CI: 1.66, 4.85, p<0.001). The qualitative study identified low awareness of maternal mental health disorders, mental health-related stigma in the public, and flawed maternal mental health systems as significant barriers to service utilization.

Conclusion: The utilization of maternal mental health services among pregnant and postpartum women with mental health problems remained suboptimal. Efforts should be made to raise public concerns about maternal mental health. Improving service access and strengthening maternal mental health service quality are critical for increasing the utilization of maternal mental healthcare.