| dc.description.abstract | Some women experience psychological distress or psychological illness when pregnant or after
giving birth. Depression and anxiety are the most widely recognized psychological well-being
issues during pregnancy. The study aimed to investigate antenatal mental health information
provision in China Uganda Friendship Hospital Naguru in Uganda (CUFHN). Objectives were to:
examine Antenatal Mental Health Information (AMHI) needs of pregnant women with mental
health challenges, at CUFHN; establish antenatal mental health information services and sources
through which information is provided; examine provision, access, utilization, and benefits of
antenatal mental health information to the pregnant women with mental distress; determine the
barriers, towards provision, access, and utilization of antenatal mental health information. This
research adopted a case study research design, with a qualitative research approach. The research
further used the interpretivism research paradigm to deal with in-depth variables and factors
relating to AMHI. Purposive and Convenience sampling techniques were adopted as sampling
strategies.
The study found that the AMHI needs of pregnant women at CUFHN were stress management,
emotional change, a variety of information and awareness topics, management of antenatal mental
health symptoms, and myths and cultural beliefs among women indicating the importance of
addressing their antenatal mental health information needs. The services provided by CUFHN to
pregnant women included: counseling services, mental health services support, education and
awareness through health talks, gender-based violence screening and mental assessment services,
information on pregnancy-related complications services, and information dissemination services.
The sources through which information is provided include: Television screens, charts, posters,
notice boards, experienced peer-to-peer, and brochures. AMHI was accessed through print media posters, brochures; hospital television sets, and information through organized sessions by
CUFHN and peer-to-peer support. Barriers included stigma, cultural beliefs, limited access to
information, lack of adequate space, lack of awareness, follow-up challenges, and weak referral
information provision systems.
The study concluded that addressing antenatal mental health information provision among
pregnant women is crucial. Timely intervention and support remain crucial for recovery, providing
comprehensive information packages regarding these mental health issues is essential to meet
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pregnant women's antenatal mental health information needs and promote awareness. Addressing
pregnant women's antenatal mental health needs is vital for enhancing maternal well-being and
ensuring informed decision-making among pregnant women, providing comprehensive
information packages regarding these antenatal mental health issues is essential to meet pregnant
women's antenatal mental health information needs and promoting information awareness.
The study recommends AMHI provision and access policy, CUFHN should adopt the proposed
model, which the researcher believes should be able to address all the challenges the hospital and
the pregnant women are facing. The government of Uganda through the Ministry of Health should
support CUFHN to incorporate antenatal mental health information provision to be part of the
work policies, CUFHN should provide a safe and private space for pregnant women to express
concerns and receive information on guidance, coping strategies, and psycho-education on
managing stress, anxiety, and depression | en_US |
