Mental Health Literacy and Postpartum Depression: A Qualitative Description of Views of Lower Income Women

The purpose of this study is to understand mental health literacy (MHL) (Jorm, 2000) in lower income women postpartum and share participant experiences of recognizing and seeking help for depressive symptoms. Focus group textual data were received from 25 participants who completed a weight and psychosocial health longitudinal study. Iterative content data analysis using Jorm's framework provided thematic understandings descriptive of MHL. Women recognized behavioral changes indicating mental distress, but fears prevented them from seeking help, and some resorted to risky behaviors. This framework could guide providers to identify women who may benefit from early intervention for postpartum depressive symptoms.