Postpartum Depression Awareness, Information Sources, And Help-Seeking Behaviour Among Women In Northern Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

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Abstract

Postpartum depression is an important maternal mental health issue that can hurt women's health, their families' functioning and their infant development. Few people may be aware, or understand the meaning of, the signs of a problem, and may not seek professional help because of stigma and lack of information. The present study evaluated the awareness, information sources, social influences and help-seeking of postpartum depression among women in Northern Nigeria. The method of this study adopted was a quantitative cross-sectional design with a sample of 380 women who agreed to participate. Categorical variables were summarised using descriptive statistics, and associations between these variables were tested using chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. 18.7 % (71) had heard of postpartum depression before. When questioned about common symptoms, 93.0% of the aware respondents identified them; 90.1% of them saw the condition as needing medical attention and support. A small number of respondents (19.7% of those who knew) sought help, primarily from health care providers. The main barriers were stigma, awareness and access to services. The results highlight the importance of culturally responsive education, improved communication of maternal mental health, regular checks and easy referral systems.