Socioculturalrisk Factors Involved In Postpartum Depression Across Diverse Populations: A Review Of Literature. Dissertation Abstract Samples

Postpartum Depression is a significant health problem with a global prevalence from 0.5% to 60%. Cultural factors need to be considered together with biomedical, psychological, and social perspectives to understand it. Limited literature examines and integrates the impact of psychosocial and cultural factors on it, relevant to treating ethnic diversity. Practical and accessible data of the most recent studies can help to orientate assessment and interventions. Current evidence suggests that immigrant women are among the most vulnerable groups. Therefore, this literature review analyzes the effects of different sociodemographic factors on Postpartum Depression and summarizes data for clinical care of immigrant women relevantly. A literature search was conducted using the PUBMED, MEDLINE and PSYCHINFO. The following keywords were used: “postpartum depression”, “postnatal depression”, “prevalence”, “culture,” “ethnicity,” “cultural factors”, “sociodemographic factors” and “society”. The search was on restricted studies published from 1985 to 2014 in English. The prevalence varies from 1.6% to 82.1% in developing and from 5.2% to 74.0% in developed countries. Several factors are shared cross-culturally, such as antenatal depression, poor marital relationship, financial hardship, recent life adversity, unwanted pregnancy, unexpected birth outcomes and negative attitude towards pregnancy. Lack of social support is an important predictor. Cultural traditions which emphasize social support and postnatal care seemed to have an alleviating influence in the absence of familial conflicts. Due to different cultural interpretations of distress, like Jin Possession amongst Muslims, it can be equivalent to western symptoms. Preference of infant’s gender had a higher value on depressive symptoms in some Asian countries. It may also affect up to 42% of immigrant women in US, compared to native 10-15% globally. Socioeconomic disparities and acculturation issues are important factors in their higher prevalence. Information about impact of religion is conflicting one. Differences in perception of mental health and stigma can prevent women from seeking professional help. The variability in reported Postpartum Depression across communities appears to be affected by cross-cultural, socio-economic distinctiveness. Cultural practices may have a protective or exacerbating influence depending on their impact on postnatal support. Studies with randomized samples need to address the communal differences, combine objective and subjective measures and set standards for culture comparisons.