Perinatal anxiety and depression: Awareness and attitudes in Australia

Background: Better community mental health literacy is associated with positive help-seeking behaviours and reduced stigma. There are relatively few published surveys of perinatal mental health literacy. Aims: To provide a profile of current awareness, knowledge and attitudes in relation to the mental health of women and men in the perinatal period. Method: A cross-sectional online survey ( n = 1,201) of adults (⩾ 18 years) in each state and territory of Australia was conducted in early 2016. Survey questions were based on a previous 2009 survey, with the addition of several novel items designed to assess knowledge around both perinatal anxiety and men’s perinatal mental health. Results: Depression (including postnatal depression) was the most frequently cited general health problem for women in the first postnatal year (52% of spontaneous first responses). Over 70% of adults believed that postnatal depression requires specialised treatment and checks for depressive symptoms should occur routinely in pregnancy and the first postnatal year. Women identified postnatal depression at a higher rate than men. Most commonly, postnatal depression was perceived as having a biological rather than psychosocial etiology (34.5%). Men and women differed in their knowledge about the symptoms of postnatal depression with more women correctly identifying core depressive symptoms. The specific term ‘perinatal depression’ was not well recognised. Although not well recognised as a general health issue, when prompted, 39% of respondents were aware of anxiety as a specific perinatal mental health issue. Most adult Australians (60%) were unaware that perinatal depression and anxiety could be experienced by men. Conclusion: Awareness of postnatal depression appeared high. However, areas including anxiety, antenatal mental health, and men’s mental health were less well-understood. There remains considerable scope, and a need for, continued awareness-raising around anxiety, mental health in pregnancy and men’s mental health.