Maternal mental health as a neglected dimension of primary health care systems responsiveness in low- and middle-income countries: a mixed methods cross-sectional study in Ghana

Abstract

Background: Pregnancy and postpartum-related mental health problems present serious public health threat to the society; however, this is not prioritized in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We aimed to determine the prevalence and analyze perceptions and experiences of maternal mental health (MMH) distress and health systems responsiveness to mental well-being of pregnant and postpartum clients and their relatives, and frontline health workers in two districts of Southern Ghana. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional mixed methods design and purposively selected study sites to provide insights from rural and urban settings. A structured survey involving antenatal (n = 827), postnatal (n = 618), ..