Exploring care from extended family through rural women's accounts of perinatal mental illness - a qualitative study with implications for policy and practice

Katherine Jackson*, Deborah Smart, Emily Henderson, James Newham, Ruth McGovern, Eileen Kaner, Raghu Lingam

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)
29 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Extended family often have an important role in caring for women experiencing perinatal mental illness; but rural women's perspectives are under-researched. We explored women's experiences of living in rural northern England and receiving care from extended family during periods of perinatal mental illness through 21 qualitative interviews. Key findings were that companionship, practical support - informal childcare and transport, and emotional support were important forms of care - filling gaps in formal service provision. Findings highlight women's needs for support from extended families in rural areas. The rural infrastructure and inequity in formal services can create vulnerability for women.

Original languageEnglish
Article number102427
Pages (from-to)1-11
Number of pages11
JournalHealth & Place
Volume66
Early online date24 Sept 2020
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Nov 2020

Keywords

  • Gender
  • Informal care
  • Perinatal mental illness
  • Qualitative
  • Rural health

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