Treatment Preferences for Postpartum Depression Among New Israeli Mothers: The Contribution of Health Beliefs and Social Support.
Meital Simhi, Julie Cwikel, Orly Sarid
PMID 34459257WHAT IT FOUND
New mothers with lower income, less education, immigrant status, or religious backgrounds preferred community clinics over private mental health practices.
Health beliefs like perceived benefits and environmental cues mediated these choices, suggesting nurses should actively discuss treatment options to overcome barriers.
Key findings
01Mothers with lower socioeconomic status, immigrant status, or religious backgrounds were less likely to prefer private mental health practices and mental health professionals compared to Israeli-born, secular, higher-SES women.
02Environmental cues, such as discussions with nurses or family, and perceived benefits of treatment were positively associated with a wider range of treatment preferences, including private practices and personal interventions.
03Social support did not mediate the link between sociodemographic factors and treatment preferences for preferred places of treatment, although it was associated with higher education and SES.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study is cross-sectional and did not track actual health-seeking behavior, only stated preferences. The sample was limited to Hebrew-speaking Jewish mothers in central Israel, excluding Arabic-speaking women and potentially limiting generalizability. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was not assessed, despite its comorbidity with PPD and potential impact on avoidance behaviors.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The research was supported by a grant from the Israel National Institute for Health Services Research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that stated preferences reflect actual behavior or that all mothers want professional mental health care. The study measured hypothetical preferences in a specific cultural context (Israeli Jewish mothers) and did not observe whether women actually sought or received treatment.