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Published in: Archives of Women's Mental Health 5/2009

01-10-2009 | Original Contribution

“One end has nothing to do with the other:” Patient attitudes regarding help seeking intention for depression in gynecologic and obstetric settings

Authors: Ian M. Bennett, Steven Palmer, Steven Marcus, James M. Nicholson, Liisa Hantsoo, Scarlet Bellamy, Jessica Rinaldi, James C. Coyne

Published in: Archives of Women's Mental Health | Issue 5/2009

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Abstract

Many women rely on their obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN) as their primary contact with the health care delivery system. There have been few studies exploring patient views on getting help for depression from these providers. The purpose of this study is to assess help seeking intention for depression and identify beliefs which moderate this intention. Telephone interviews of women following a routine gynecologic visit or in the immediate postpartum period (regarding prenatal care) were used to assess intention to seek help from their providers in a case of depression. For women who lacked this intention, related beliefs were elicited with the open ended question “why not?” Among the 225 women in the study more than half receiving gynecologic care (59%) and nearly a third of women who received prenatal care (29%; p < 0.001) stated they would not seek help from their OB/GYN for depression. Report that a prenatal provider had mentioned depression was associated with help seeking intention for depression but was not independent of confounding variables. Beliefs among women who lacked help seeking intention clustered into two attitude themes: 1) an OB/GYN is the wrong doctor for depression care and 2) OB/GYN is not a good setting for depression care. Many women have attitudes which reduce their intention to seek help for depression from their OB/GYN. Interventions aiming to increase delivery of depression care in these settings should consider these beliefs in their design.
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Metadata
Title
“One end has nothing to do with the other:” Patient attitudes regarding help seeking intention for depression in gynecologic and obstetric settings
Authors
Ian M. Bennett
Steven Palmer
Steven Marcus
James M. Nicholson
Liisa Hantsoo
Scarlet Bellamy
Jessica Rinaldi
James C. Coyne
Publication date
01-10-2009
Publisher
Springer Vienna
Published in
Archives of Women's Mental Health / Issue 5/2009
Print ISSN: 1434-1816
Electronic ISSN: 1435-1102
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-009-0103-4

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