PATH Multimedia Campaign (PATHMC)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluating the PerinAtal menTal Health Multimedia Campaign (PATHMC): Raising awareness and de-stigmatising perinatal mental illness (PMI)
IRAS ID
282438
Contact name
Sarah Dickens
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT)
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 31 days
Research summary
Perinatal mental illnesses (PMI) refer to mental health disorders which occur during pregnancy or in the first year following the birth of a child. The focus of this study is mild-moderate experiences of PMI (i.e. perinatal depression and anxiety). In the UK, these illnesses are usually managed through primary care, by accessing support from GPs, midwives and health visitors. Early identification of PMI is vital in shaping the care and support provided to new parents however; a lot of new parents still find it difficult to talk about their experiences and to seek help. Previous research suggests that two of the main reasons that might prevent people from seeking help with PMI are:
a. Identifying that they may be experiencing PMI and that they require additional support
b. Stigma, negative beliefs about themselves and concerns about how other people judge them
It is clear that in order to help people talk more openly about their experiences of anxiety and depression during the perinatal period, we need to address these issues, and one way to do this is by raising awareness and destigmatising mild-moderate PMI. In the past, awareness/advertising campaigns have been found to be an effective method of sharing information about health conditions to the general public (such as HIV, breast cancer and mental health), and they have been used in other countries (i.e. the United States of America and Australia) to spread the word about PMI. This type of campaign has not yet been implemented in the U.K. or Western European countries. Therefore, to address this gap, we have created the PerinAtal menTal Health Multimedia Campaign (PATHMC) which aims to improve understanding and recognition of mild-moderate PMI as well as to reduce the stigma associated with this illness.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of this multi-media awareness campaign which has been co-created by healthcare professionals and people with lived experience of PMI. Two groups of participants will be invited to take part in this study; (prospective) mothers and partners. Data will be collected using an online survey which will include questions on recognition/awareness of mental illness, perinatal depression/anxiety and stigma.REC name
London - Camberwell St Giles Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/LO/0929
Date of REC Opinion
23 Sep 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion