Community-based perinatal depression recognition and management: a qualitative study on the perspectives of pharmacists and an educational resource

Abstract

Community-based perinatal depression recognition and management: a qualitative study on the perspectives of pharmacists and an educational resource. Introduction Perinatal depression (PND) is a significant public health problem affecting up to 13% of mothers and often remains undiagnosed. Pharmacists are highly accessible to perinatal mothers and are in an ideal position to screen women for PND.. Objectives To explore the perspectives of Australian pharmacists about their current experiences with perinatal women and the prospect of pharmacist-led PND screening. Methods In Phase 1, semistructured phone interviews were conducted with twenty Australian pharmacists. The subsequent development, implementation and evaluation of the "Perinatal Mental Health in the Pharmacy" (PMHP) educational program with fifteen Australian pharmacists constituted Phase 2 of this study. Results Phase 1 results indicated that pharmacists believed they were ideally placed to screen for PND but that they required further training to do so. Participants in Phase 2 of the study reported that their tertiary training did not adequately prepare them for conducting PND screening and that the PMHP educational intervention improved their confidence in assessing and referring suspected cases of PND. Conclusion Pharmacy represents just one of multiple avenues within the community where PND may be detected. The reported improvement in pharmacist confidence with PND detection and referral upon completion of the educational intervention suggests that though pharmacists are willing to conduct PND-screening, they require further training before pharmacy-based screening programs can be implemented. Further research into the outcomes of pharmacist-led PND screening is recommended.