Mixed-methods study exploring health service access and social support linkage to the mental well-being of Canadian Indigenous pregnant persons during the COVID-19 pandemic
Objectives This study aimed to explore how the unprecedented stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to heightened levels of depression and anxiety among pregnant Indigenous persons, and identify protective individual-level factors.Design The current study used a mixed-m...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2024-03-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/14/3/e078388.full |
| _version_ | 1797223880418394112 |
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| author | Gerald Giesbrecht Jasleen Kaur Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen Catherine A Lebel Jennifer Doyle Sydney Levasseur-Puhach Meghan Mollons Lindsay Woods Leslie Roos |
| author_facet | Gerald Giesbrecht Jasleen Kaur Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen Catherine A Lebel Jennifer Doyle Sydney Levasseur-Puhach Meghan Mollons Lindsay Woods Leslie Roos |
| author_sort | Gerald Giesbrecht |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives This study aimed to explore how the unprecedented stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to heightened levels of depression and anxiety among pregnant Indigenous persons, and identify protective individual-level factors.Design The current study used a mixed-methods design including standardised questionnaires and open-ended response questions. Using hierarchical regression models, we examined the extent to which COVID-19-related factors of service disruption (ie, changes to prenatal care, changes to birth plans and social support) were associated with mental well-being. Further, through qualitative analyses of open-ended questions, we examined the coping strategies used by pregnant Indigenous persons in response to the pandemic.Setting Participants responded to an online questionnaire consisting of standardised measures from 2020 to 2021.Participants The study included 336 self-identifying Indigenous pregnant persons in Canada.Results Descriptive results revealed elevated rates of clinically relevant depression (52.7%) and anxiety (62.5%) symptoms among this population. 76.8% of participants reported prenatal care service disruptions, including appointment cancellations. Thematic analyses identified coping themes of staying informed, social and/or cultural connections and activities, and internal mental well-being strategies. Disruptions to services and decreased quality of prenatal care negatively impacted mental well-being of Indigenous pregnant persons during the COVID-19 pandemic.Conclusions Given the potential for mental well-being challenges to persist and long-term effects of perinatal distress, it is important to examine the quality of care that pregnant individuals receive. Service providers should advance policies and practices that promote relationship quality and health system engagement as key factors linked to well-being during the perinatal period for Indigenous persons. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T13:44:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b2a96bca595c48d1b435acbd50531f79 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T13:44:15Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-b2a96bca595c48d1b435acbd50531f792024-04-04T07:20:08ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552024-03-0114310.1136/bmjopen-2023-078388Mixed-methods study exploring health service access and social support linkage to the mental well-being of Canadian Indigenous pregnant persons during the COVID-19 pandemicGerald Giesbrecht0Jasleen Kaur1Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen2Catherine A Lebel3Jennifer Doyle4Sydney Levasseur-Puhach5Meghan Mollons6Lindsay Woods7Leslie Roos8Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Province of Alberta, CanadaInternal Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USAPsychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaAlberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Province of Alberta, CanadaEmergency Department, Children`s University Hospital, Dublin, IrelandDepartment of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, CanadaPsychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, CanadaNew Directions, Winnipeg, Manitoba, CanadaPsychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, CanadaObjectives This study aimed to explore how the unprecedented stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to heightened levels of depression and anxiety among pregnant Indigenous persons, and identify protective individual-level factors.Design The current study used a mixed-methods design including standardised questionnaires and open-ended response questions. Using hierarchical regression models, we examined the extent to which COVID-19-related factors of service disruption (ie, changes to prenatal care, changes to birth plans and social support) were associated with mental well-being. Further, through qualitative analyses of open-ended questions, we examined the coping strategies used by pregnant Indigenous persons in response to the pandemic.Setting Participants responded to an online questionnaire consisting of standardised measures from 2020 to 2021.Participants The study included 336 self-identifying Indigenous pregnant persons in Canada.Results Descriptive results revealed elevated rates of clinically relevant depression (52.7%) and anxiety (62.5%) symptoms among this population. 76.8% of participants reported prenatal care service disruptions, including appointment cancellations. Thematic analyses identified coping themes of staying informed, social and/or cultural connections and activities, and internal mental well-being strategies. Disruptions to services and decreased quality of prenatal care negatively impacted mental well-being of Indigenous pregnant persons during the COVID-19 pandemic.Conclusions Given the potential for mental well-being challenges to persist and long-term effects of perinatal distress, it is important to examine the quality of care that pregnant individuals receive. Service providers should advance policies and practices that promote relationship quality and health system engagement as key factors linked to well-being during the perinatal period for Indigenous persons.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/14/3/e078388.full |
| spellingShingle | Gerald Giesbrecht Jasleen Kaur Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen Catherine A Lebel Jennifer Doyle Sydney Levasseur-Puhach Meghan Mollons Lindsay Woods Leslie Roos Mixed-methods study exploring health service access and social support linkage to the mental well-being of Canadian Indigenous pregnant persons during the COVID-19 pandemic BMJ Open |
| title | Mixed-methods study exploring health service access and social support linkage to the mental well-being of Canadian Indigenous pregnant persons during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Mixed-methods study exploring health service access and social support linkage to the mental well-being of Canadian Indigenous pregnant persons during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Mixed-methods study exploring health service access and social support linkage to the mental well-being of Canadian Indigenous pregnant persons during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mixed-methods study exploring health service access and social support linkage to the mental well-being of Canadian Indigenous pregnant persons during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Mixed-methods study exploring health service access and social support linkage to the mental well-being of Canadian Indigenous pregnant persons during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | mixed methods study exploring health service access and social support linkage to the mental well being of canadian indigenous pregnant persons during the covid 19 pandemic |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/14/3/e078388.full |
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