Qualitative study on psychological needs of patients with postpartum depression

Objective To deeply understand the psychological needs of patients with postpartum depression and to provide a reference for medical and nursing workers to improve preventive healthcare and interventive therapy for patients with postpartum depression. Methods Totally 12 patients with postpartum depression from the Department of Obstetrics of a Class Ⅲ Grade A general hospital in Shanghai were selected using purposive sampling and interviewed face-to-face in-depth semi-structurally using phenomenological methods in qualitative studies from October 2017 to April 2018. Colaizzi data analysis principle was used to organize and analyze the data and refine the themes. Results Totally 3 themes were refined, namely, support needs of consistent culture among family members, obtainment needs for care knowledge, and anticipation needs for medical and nursing workers in obstetrics. Conclusions Patients with postpartum depression show extensive psychological needs. Medical and nursing workers should guide their family members to provide cultural support consistent with the puerpera according to their psychological needs, provide care knowledge from multiple perspectives, maintain beneficial folk care habits, enhance the psychological health service capability of themselves, and set up psychological counselling outpatient service for pregnant women so as to meet the psychological needs of patients with postpartum depression. Key words: Depression; Postpartum; Psychological needs; Diverse culture; Qualitative study