Abstract
BACKGROUND: For women with perinatal mental illness, phone helplines may be a useful way of accessing help. This study assessed the feasibility, acceptability, limitations, and usage patterns of a helpline service for mothers discharged from a mother-baby psychiatry unit. METHODS: Mothers discharged from a mother baby unit during an 18-month period were provided with a helpline number. A social worker answered the calls. Details of the calls, including the reasons and the interventions provided, were recorded. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed by calling all users and nonusers. Satisfaction with the helpline was recorded among users, and reasons for not calling were assessed among nonusers. RESULTS: Among 113 mothers, 51 (45%) made 248 calls. Calls were regarding medication, sleep problems, planning pregnancies, symptom exacerbation, appointments, and suicidal ideation. Some calls were related to domestic violence (n = 13, 5.24%), and infant health and breastfeeding (n = 11, 4.44%). Seventy-six (67%, 44 callers and 32 noncallers) were contacted. The majority (41/44) of the callers found it useful: 91% said they got help, and 95% said they would recommend it to others. However, language difficulties (9%) and technical problems (5%) were reported. Among the noncallers, the majority reported having experienced no problem related to mental health or had contacted a doctor. However, of the noncallers, one woman died of suicide, did not have access to a phone, and the family did not choose to call. CONCLUSIONS: Helpline phone service appears to be feasible and acceptable and can be adapted in other mother-baby psychiatry units in low and middle-income countries. However, in some women, the nonavailability of a phone may be a limiting factor.