In South Africa there are many risk factors which may contribute to maternal mental illness, especially among women living in poverty.
PMHP policy brief
Maternal mental health: addressing key vulnerabilities
|
|
|
To determine if a woman may be suffering from a mental illness during the perinatal period, it helps to assess her risk profile.
This means gathering necessary information about various risks which may contribute to a her experiencing psychological distress.
A woman’s risk profile is an assessment of all the factors which may make her more vulnerable to mental illness.
|
Sometimes risk factors overlap, creating overwhelming circumstances for women. Women are more likely to have a higher risk profile than men.
The negative cycle of poverty and mental illness in particular can have disastrous outcomes for women, their children and ultimately, our communities.
Read more about psychosocial risk factors.
|
|
Psychosocial and physical factors are considered in assessing a risk profile.
Psychosocial risk factors refer to the social conditions which could influence a woman's psychological well-being.
Physical risk factors include disease, illness or any biological factors which may predispose a woman to mental illness.
|
The high rates of poverty, unemployment, crime, domestic violence, HIV infection and substance abuse in our country form a high risk matrix in which many pregnant women and mothers of young infants develop mental illnesses, particularly depression.
|
|
