Profile of consumers and their partners of a perinatal and infant mental health (PIMH) service in Australia

• Published in: Health & social care in the community Vol. 26; no. 1; pp. e154 - e163
• Main Authors: Coates, Dominiek, Saleeba, Christine, Howe, Deborah
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Hindawi Limited 01-01-2018
• Subjects: Adult; antenatal anxiety; Anxiety; Anxiety - prevention & control; Australia; Child abuse & neglect; Child Health Services - organization & administration; Childhood; Comorbidity; Consumers; Depression - prevention & control; Economic stress; Female; Females; Health problems; Health risk assessment; Health risks; Humans; Infant; Maternal Health Services; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental health; Mental Health - statistics & numerical data; Mental health care; Mental health services; Mental Health Services - organization & administration; perinatal and infant mental health services; Perinatal Care - methods; Perinatal period; postnatal depression; Postpartum depression; Pregnancy; Psychosocial factors; psychosocial vulnerabilities; Risk Factors; service evaluation; Stress; Trauma; trauma‐focussed care; Vulnerability; Women; Australia; antenatal anxiety; postnatal depression; perinatal and infant mental health services; trauma-focussed care; service evaluation; psychosocial vulnerabilities
• ISSN: 0966-0410; 1365-2524
• DOI: 10.1111/hsc.12489

The perinatal period is a time of great vulnerability for many women, in particular those with a range of psychosocial vulnerabilities and mental health risk factors. This paper outlines the psychosocial and mental health profile of consumers and their partners of a perinatal and infant mental health (PIMH) service in Australia. To establish the consumer profile, we analysed client vulnerabilities and demographical information maintained over a 6‐year period for 406 consumers. Consumer information, including mental health problems, psychosocial vulnerabilities and demographical information, was entered into a standalone database by the allocated clinicians upon service allocation and throughout treatment. The women accepted by PIMH presented with an average of nine different vulnerabilities. Frequently endorsed risk factors included depression (72.66%), anxiety (71.43%), comorbid depression and anxiety (58.13%), self‐harm (past, 7.88%, present, 16.26%), a history of family mental health issues (39.66%), childhood trauma (57.88%), limited support (68.84%), relationship conflict with partners (38.92%) and financial stress (47.29%). The women's partners also presented with a range of vulnerabilities, in particular childhood trauma (34.11%) and mental health issues (30.81%). This study contributes to our understanding of the profile of vulnerable women in the perinatal period, and in particular contributes to the literature by highlighting that in addition to depression, anxiety, self‐harm and trauma are also significant in PIMH service delivery.