The role of social support on the mental wellbeing of women in the perinatal period during COVID-19 in Georgia Open Access

Abstract

Background: National data has shown that there is a need for improvement in addressing mood disorders in the perinatal period. The addition of exposure to disasters can amplify mood disorders and stressors. With a relatively new virus, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there is a lack of research that exclusively targets pregnant and postpartum women in Georgia where maternal mortality is the highest in the United States.

Objective: To explore the role of social support on the mental wellbeing of pregnant and postpartum women in Georgia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Fourteen pregnant and postpartum women participated in video or telephone interviews. Grounded theory methods were used to frame the analysis of interviews. Women were extracted from the larger study which provided an online survey that included validated mental health measures.

Results: Participants reported receiving or needing social support in different forms including emotional, instrumental, and informational support. The participants described how their relationships play a role in the quality of support they received including the role of the husband/partner, family, friends, perinatal providers, mental health providers, and other social support groups. Both formal and informal support was reported as beneficial to their mental wellbeing.

Conclusion: Feelings of isolation and loneliness were frequently reported by both pregnant and postpartum women due to social distancing and isolation regulations which can impact their mental wellbeing. Having social support and quality relationships played a significant role for pregnant and postpartum women, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lack of social support contributed to heightened feelings of distress, loneliness and isolation which may explain poor mental wellbeing. Public health professionals should consider the recommendations that pregnant and postpartum women in Georgia are making in order to develop initiatives for perinatal mental health.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

 

 

Chapter 1: Introduction............................................................................................................... 1

Introduction and Rationale.............................................................................................................. 2

Theoretical Model............................................ ............................................ ..................................3

Objectives and Aims........................................................................................................................4

Chapter 2: Review of the Literature ...........................................................................................5

Introduction to Perinatal Mood Disorders.......................................................................................5

Introduction to the CORONAVIRUS-19 Pandemic............................................ ...........................6

Linking Social Support to Perinatal Mental Health............................................ ............................7

Conclusion............................................ ............................................ .............................................9

Chapter 3: Methodology .............................................................................................................10

Methods............................................ ............................................ ................................................10

In-Depth Interviews............................................ ............................................ .............................10

Data Analysis............................................ ............................................ .......................................11

Data Limitations............................................ ............................................ ...................................12

Chapter 4: Results........................................................................................................................13

Introduction............................................ ............................................ ..........................................13

Study Population............................................ ............................................ ..................................13

Having Social Support....................................... ............................................ ..............................16

Lack of Anticipated Social Support............................................ ..................................................20

Chapter 5: Discussion............................................ ............................................ ........................24

Summary of Findings............................................ ............................................ ...........................24

Cross-group Comparisons.................................................................................. ...........................25

Recommendations................................................................................. ........................................25

Limitations and Next Steps................................................................................. ..........................27

Conclusion................................................................................. ...................................................27

References ................................................................................................................................... 29

Appendices .................................................................................................................................. 30

In-depth Interview Guide A: Prenatal Women ............................................................................ 30

In-depth Interview Guide B: Early Postpartum Women .............................................................. 35

In-depth Interview Guide C: Late Postpartum Women.................................................................40

About this Master's Thesis

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School	Rollins School of Public Health
Department	Hubert Department of Global Health
Degree	M.P.H.
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Women's Studies Health Sciences, Public Health Health Sciences, Mental Health
Keyword	COVID-19 Mental health Perinatal Social support
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Roger Rochat , Emory University
Committee Members	Amber Mack, Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia

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