Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Postpartum Traditions, Mental Health, and Help-Seeking Considerations Among Vietnamese American Women: a Mixed-Methods Pilot Study

  • Published:
The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore Vietnamese American mothers’ perceptions and experiences with postpartum traditions, postpartum depression (PPD), and mental health help-seeking behavior. Participants were 15 Vietnamese mothers who had given birth to at least one live infant within the previous year. A screening tool revealed that a third of the mothers had probable PPD. More than half reported having recent/current postpartum “sadness” during the interviews. Postpartum traditions played important roles in their well-being and maintaining strong cultural values. However, some reported feelings of isolation and the desire to be able to carry out postpartum traditions more frequently. Many who had reported sadness said that they would not seek professional help; all had felt that their condition was not “severe” enough to warrant help-seeking. Future PPD interventions should consider the importance of postpartum cultural traditions and address help-seeking barriers as ways to prevent the adverse effects of untreated PPD.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ta VM, Juon HS, Gielen AC, et al. Disparities in use of mental health and substance abuse services by Asian and Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander women. Journal of Behavorial Health Services and Research. 2008; 35(1): 20–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Office on Women’s Health. Depression during and after pregnancy fact sheet. 2009. Available online at http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/depression-pregnancy.cfm#b. Accessed September 28, 2013

  3. Hayes DK, Ta VM, Hurwitz EL, et al. Disparities in self-reported postpartum depression among Asian, Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Women in Hawaii: Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), 2004–2007. Maternal and Child Health Journal. 2010; 14(5): 765–773.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Pearlstein T, Howard M, Salisbury A, et al. Postpartum depression. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2009; 200(4): 357–364.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. U.S. Census Bureau. The Asian population: 2010. Available online at http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-11.pdf. Accessed September 24, 2013

  6. U.S. Census Bureau. Facts for Features: Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month: May 2011. 2011. Available online at http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb11-ff06.html. Accessed September 9, 2011

  7. Boat People SOS. The Vietnamese Population in the United States: 2010. Available online at http://www.bpsos.org/mainsite/images/DelawareValley/community_profile/us.census.2010.the%20vietnamese%20population_july%202.2011.pdf. Accessed September 21, 2013

  8. Hinton WL, Tiet Q, Tran CG, et al. Predictors of depression among refugees from Vietnam: a longitudinal study of new arrivals. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease. 1997; 185(1): 39–45.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Vaage AB, Thomsen PH, Silove D, et al. Long-term mental health of Vietnamese refugees in the aftermath of trauma. British Journal of Psychiatry. 2010; 196(2): 122–125.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Ta VM, Juon HS, Gielen AC, et al. A longitudinal analysis of depressive symptoms among Asian and Pacific Islander mothers at-risk for child maltreatment. Community Mental Health Journal. 2009; 45(1): 42–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Leung P, Cheung M, Cheung A. Vietnamese Americans and depression: A health and mental health concern. Social Work in Mental Health. 2010; 8(6): 526–542.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Fisher JR, Morrow MM, Ngoc NT, et al. Prevalence, nature, severity and correlates of postpartum depressive symptoms in Vietnam. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 2004; 111(12): 1353–1360.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Tran T, Pham TL, Harpham T, et al. Young Lives Preliminary Country Report: Vietnam. In: UK SC, ed. Young Lives: An International Study of Childhood Poverty. Vol 57. Hanoi: RTCCD; 2003.

  14. Kawahara DM, Fu M. The Psychology and Mental Health of Asian American Women. In: Leong FTL, Iman A, Ebreo A, Yang L, et al., eds. Handbook of Asian American psychology. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications; 2007:181–196.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Cox JL, Holden JM, Sagovsky R. Detection of postnatal depression. Development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. The British Journal of Psychiatry. 1987; 150(6): 782–786.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Wisner K, Perel J, Peindl K, et al.. Prevention of recurrent postpartum depression: a randomized clinical trial. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2001; 62(2): 82–86.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Gibson J, McKenzie-McHarg K, Shakespeare J, et al. systematic review of studies validating the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in antepartum and postpartum women. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 2009; 119(5): 350–364.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Stuchbery M, Matthey S, Barnett B. Postnatal depression and social supports in Vietnamese, Arabic and Anglo-Celtic mothers. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 1998; 33(10): 483–490.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Small R, Lumley J, Yelland J. Cross-cultural experiences of maternal depression: associations and contributing factors for Vietnamese, Turkish and Filipino immigrant women in Victoria, Australia. Ethnicity and Health. 2003; 8(3): 189–206.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Aday LA, Andersen R. A framework for the study of access to medical care. Health Services Research. 1974; 9(3): 208–220.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Andersen R, Harada N, Chiu V, et al. Application of the Behavioral Model to Health Studies of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. Asian American and Pacific Islander Journal of Health. 1995; 3(2): 128–141.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Babitsch B, Gohl D, von Lengerke T. Re-revisiting Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use: a systematic review of studies from 1998–2011. Psycho-Social Medicine. 2012;9:Doc11

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Small R, Astbury J, Brown S, et al. Depression after childbirth. Does social context matter? Medical Journal of Australia.1994; 161(8): 473–477.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Fancher TL, Ton H, Le Meyer O, et al. Discussing depression with Vietnamese American patients. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health. 2010; 12(2): 263–266.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Goodman SH. Depression in mothers. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. 2007; 3: 107–135.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Davis RE. The postpartum experience for southeast Asian women in the United States. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing. 2001; 26(4): 208–213.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Fisher JR, Tran H, Tran T. Relative socioeconomic advantage and mood during advanced pregnancy in women in Vietnam. International Journal of Mental Health Systems. 2007; 1(1): 3.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Lundberg PC, Trieu TN. Vietnamese women's cultural beliefs and practices related to the postpartum period. Midwifery. 2011; 27(5): 731–736.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Wadd L. Vietnamese postpartum practices. Implications for nursing in the hospital setting. JOGN nursing; Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing. 1983; 12(4): 252–258.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Thi L, Pasandarntorn W, Rauyajin O. Traditional postpartum practices among Vietnamese mothers: A study in Anthi district, Hungyen province [Master’s dissertation]. Thailand, Mahidol University; 2004.

  31. Ngo D, Oliver JM. Attitudes toward seeking psychological help among Vietnamese American adults. St. Louis, MO: Psychology, Saint Louis University; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Leong FTL, Chang DF, Lee SH. Counseling and Psychotherapy with Asian Americans: Process and Outcomes. In: Leong FTL, Iman A, Ebreo A, et al., eds. Handbook of Asian American psychology. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications; 2007:429–447.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Chowdhary N, Sikander S, Atif N, et al. The content and delivery of psychological interventions for perinatal depression by non-specialist health workers in low and middle income countries: a systematic review. Best Practice & Research. Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology. 2014; 28(1): 113–133.

  34. Patel V, Weiss HA, Chowdhary N, et al. Effectiveness of an intervention led by lay health counsellors for depressive and anxiety disorders in primary care in Goa, India (MANAS): a cluster randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2010; 376(9758): 2086–2095.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  35. Mui AC, Kang SY. Acculturation stress and depression among Asian immigrant elders. Social Work. 2006; 51(3): 243–255.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Nguyen PV. Perceptions of Vietnamese fathers' acculturation levels, parenting styles, and mental health outcomes in Vietnamese American adolescent immigrants. Social Work. 2008; 53(4): 337–346.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Bina R. The impact of cultural factors upon postpartum depression: a literature review. Health Care for Women International. 2008; 29(6): 568–592.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Klainin P, Arthur DG. Postpartum depression in Asian cultures: a literature review. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 2009; 46(10): 1355–1373.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Vietnamese mothers who participated in this study. This research was supported by a Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities (RSCA) Grant at San José State University.

Conflict of Interest

We declare no conflict of interests.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Science and Recreation, San José State University, One Washington Square, MH 514, San José, CA, 95192, USA

    Van M. Ta Park PhD, MPH & Denise Rosidi MPH

  2. The Valley Foundation School of Nursing, San José State University, San Francisco, USA

    Deepika Goyal PhD, RN, FNP-C & Hong Lien BSN, RN, PHN

  3. Department of Medicine, The University of California, San Francisco, USA

    Tung Nguyen MD

Authors
  1. Van M. Ta Park PhD, MPH
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Deepika Goyal PhD, RN, FNP-C
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tung Nguyen MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hong Lien BSN, RN, PHN
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Denise Rosidi MPH
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Van M. Ta Park PhD, MPH.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ta Park, V.M., Goyal, D., Nguyen, T. et al. Postpartum Traditions, Mental Health, and Help-Seeking Considerations Among Vietnamese American Women: a Mixed-Methods Pilot Study. J Behav Health Serv Res 44, 428–441 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-015-9476-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-015-9476-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation