Immigrant Women and Mental Health Care: Findings from an Environmental Scan

Abstract

Immigrant women’s mental health is a growing public health policy issue. New immigrant mothers may be particularly vulnerable to less than optimal mental health following childbirth given the cultural and geographic isolation, socioeconomic factors, gender roles, and language difficulties that influence their postpartum experiences. The purpose of this environmental scan was to increase understanding of immigrant women’s perinatal mental health care services within the interior of a western Canadian province. Four interrelated themes emerged to impact postpartum health of immigrant women: (i) community capacity building, (ii) facilitators of mental health support and care, (iii) barriers of mental health promotion and support, and (iv) public policy and postpartum depression. Knowledge gained from this study contributes to healthy public policy and practices that promote mental health and support among immigrant women.

Acknowledgments

The investigators that worked together on this research study were faculty from Thompson Rivers University, University of Victoria, Joanne Smrek, Regional Knowledge Coordinator, Maternal Child Health within Interior Health, and a 4th year TRU undergraduate nursing student. The research team acknowledges that the research took place on the traditional and unceded lands of the Secwepemc Nation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by a TRU Internal Research Fund and in-kind support from the TRU School of Nursing.