Description
Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most common psychiatric disorder associated with pregnancy. It is a mood disorder classified by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) as a subtype of depression that arises throughout pregnancy or up to one month after birth. But the risk of suffering from depression persists for several months after delivery. The prevalence of PPD in low and middle-income countries is estimated at 19.7%.
This study seeks to determine the prevalence of PPD in internally displaced Lebanese and refugee women in Lebanon. Participants are displaced pregnant women or new mothers (up to a year post-delivery), 18 years of age and older. The study will identify the risk factors associated with PPD, assess the social determinants of health, and understand whether recent displacement has higher impact than older displacement. This research will offer valuable insights for intervention and support. It addresses a core research theme identified by WHO in its report titled 'Global research agenda on health, migration and displacement: Strengthening research and translating research priorities into policy and practice'. Core theme 3 states ‘Generate multisector research on addressing the determinants of health of migrants, refugees and other displaced populations: priority subtheme’ and 3.1 specifically points to ‘impact of living and working conditions on the health of migrants, refugees, and other displaced populations.
The study was approved by the Lebanese American University’s Institutional Review Board. An informed consent, provided to participants, clearly states the purpose of the study, that participation is voluntary and anonymous, and that there are no foreseeable risks. It also makes it clear that participants have the right to withdraw from the survey at any time. Data collection was initiated in November 2023. The online questionnaire is shared with women in the different settlement areas and displaced women attending the obstetrics clinics at a governmental hospital in Beirut (Rafik Hariri University Hospital). Participants are also asked to share the survey link with pregnant relatives or friends who happen to be internally displaced.
The questionnaire collects information on sociodemographic factors of the mother and father, her displacement and living conditions, a description of her pregnancy or delivery, risk factors she might have been exposed to, and questions about the social determinants of health taken from Your Current Life Situation by Kaiser Permanente, and from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Accountable Health Communities Health-Related Social Needs Screening Tool, and the Sense of Community Belonging item taken from Statistics Canada’s general social survey. The questionnaire also includes the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and the Brief Resilience Scale.
I hope to have interesting results in time for the Geneva Health Forum in May 2024.
| Contact Geneva Health Forum | I would like to receive information about the GHF 2024 conference and other GHF activities / Je souhaite recevoir des informations sur la conférence GHF 2024 et d'autres activités du GHF. |
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