237949 Social support in the postpartum period: Women's views on needs, expectations, and mobilization of support

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Rennie Negron, MPH , Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
Amy Balbierz, MPH , Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
Meital Almog, BA , Department of Urban Public Health, Hunter College/CUNY School of Public Health, New York, NY
Anika Martin, BA , Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
Elizabeth A. Howell, MD, MPP , Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
Background: Postpartum depression negatively affects the quality of life and daily functioning of mothers and infants. Lack of social support, as well as general dissatisfaction with available support are known to increase the risk for postpartum depression. Objective: We conducted a focus group study to examine postpartum women's views, needs and expectations surrounding social support following childbirth and how these relate to their overall postpartum experience. Methods: Four focus groups were conducted with an ethnically diverse sample of women (N=33) who participated in a postpartum depression intervention trial and completed the final 6 month follow-up survey. All focus groups were professionally audio-recorded and transcribed in their entirety. Atlas.ti software and in-depth qualitative methods were used to analyze the data. Results: We found that women identified household chores, baby care, personal care, getting sleep and caring for other children as major support needs. While most women considered both emotional and instrumental support to be important, they felt that meeting basic and instrumental support needs presented the biggest challenges postpartum. Women mobilized support among their social networks by directly voicing their needs, making lists, educating partners and using partners as mediators. They also identified several barriers to mobilizing support, including fear of judgment, pride and expecting support to come naturally, without need to ask others for help. Conclusion: Results highlight the need for continued examination of social support in the postpartum period. By identifying the kind of support needed and valued by postpartum women we can potentially strengthen postpartum depression intervention efforts.

Learning Areas:
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss major support needs identified by postpartum women. 2. Describe ways in which women mobilize support during the postpartum period and barriers they encounter when mobilizing support.

Keywords: Maternal Health, Perinatal Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am Assistant Project Manager in this study and have experience conducting qualitative research.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.