Description of the study
Postnatal depression is one of the major psychological disorders that affect women in Bahrain. It exists among women depending on various risk factors. However, its prevalence has not yet been established. The study was aimed at estimating the prevalence of postnatal depression among 237 Bahraini women who attended checkups in 20 clinical centers over a period of 2 months (Dallal & Grant, 2012).
The study is important because it presented information that can be useful in estimating the prevalence of postnatal depression in Bahrain. On the other hand, it is important because postnatal depression is one of the most commonly under-diagnosed forms of depression (Dallal & Grant, 2012). Therefore, the results of the study are necessary for the study of the epidemiology of postnatal depression in Bahrain.
Summary of results
The results of the study revealed that prevalence of postnatal depression was higher in women belonging to families with histories of depression than in women belonging to families without histories of depression (Dallal & Grant, 2012). The presence of depression during the pregnancy period had no significant link to postnatal depression.
According to the study, one of the major causes of postnatal depression is lack of social support from family members. The results showed that only approximately 30% of women who participated in the study received support from their families (Dallal & Grant, 2012). Women who received support from their husbands had lower incidences of postnatal depression compared to women who did not receive support from their husbands.
Support from spouses is important in preventing postnatal depression than support from other family members. According to the study, history of depression was a critical risk factor. Prevalence of postnatal depression was higher among women who had histories of depression during pregnancy and those that came from families with histories of depression (Dallal & Grant, 2012).
The culture of Bahrain is an important factor because it is a common source of social support for women. However, the efficacy of social support provided by various family members has different effects.
Limitations
The study has several limitations. First, it utilized tools that made it difficult for researchers to compare the results of the study with results from studies conducted in other countries. The study could have been improved by using data analysis methods applied in similar studies conducted in other countries. The results do not have serious implications for the health care system in the region. Second, the sample size of the study was very small.
The size of the sample affected the efficacy of the research study. For instance, it produced erroneous results regarding the relationship between postnatal depression and depression during pregnancy. Also, the period of evaluation (8 weeks) could have contributed to the dissatisfying results.
The study could have been improved by limiting the study period to one or two weeks. Third, the study did not establish the real cause of the disparity in the presence of postnatal depression among women who received social support from their mothers and those who received support from their husbands.
Reference
Dallal, F.H., & Grant, I.N. (2012). Postnatal Depression among Bahraini Women: Prevalence of Symptoms and Psychosocial Risk Factors. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 18(5), 439-445.