Ports in a Storm: A Postnatal Depression Rural Support Services Project

Abstract

This nine-month action-research project was conducted in 1996 by NEWomen Goulburn North-Eastern Women's Health Service and aimed to improve the system of services and support for women suffering postnatal depression (PND) in the Wangaratta district. The challenge was to influence existing mainstream and community service providers to bring about an effective system of service provision. The project included research, consultation and community education. Major findings were that PND was under-detected in some instances through inadequate knowledge and detection skills. Some women with PND experienced difficulty in receiving suitable services in a co-ordinated and timely way. Important outcomes were the review of the existing service system and consequent improvements. Working relations, co-operation and networking between various services were enhanced, as through the Project, providers supported: establishing a PND self-help group; distributing a PND information brochure; training recovered women to provide volunteer home-visiting support to women experiencing depression; trialing a 'screening' and co-ordinated referral approach and identifying good practice models. Another significant outcome was the opportunity for personal development as women participated in the project as interviewees, media commentators, support group members and home-visiting trainees. This paper highlights developments and ongoing challenges since the 1996 project.