CHALLENGES FOR PRIMARY HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS IN CARING FOR WOMEN WITH POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION

Abstract

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to explore the challenges for primary healthcare professionals in caring for women with postpartum depression, in order to learn which tools are used for the identification of these women, as well as ways of working to restore their health. This qualitative descriptive study was conducted in healthcare units in Campina Grande, Paraíba. Data were collected by field observation and a semi-structured interview, which was administered to 16 healthcare professionals. The results describe healthcare professionals' difficulties in identifying and treating women with postpartum depression, because of the limited focus on physiological developmental aspects of gestation and postpartum. The professionals reported limited knowledge on how to assess emotional changes related to the postpartum period. Primary healthcare professionals need to be educated to identify and treat women with postpartum depression, and practice guidelines and protocols must be established to guide evidence-based practice.