Search

Maternal mental health plays a vital role in the overall wellbeing of mothers, children, families, whānau (core support network) and communities. However, many mothers face mental health challenges during the transition to parenthood. In this study, we used an online story-sharing platform to collect the experiences of mothers who have faced unmet needs while using the Well Child Tamariki Ora (WCTO) service in Aotearoa New Zealand. From the 420 submitted stories, 125 stories related to mental health need while using the WCTO service. Using thematic analysis, we identified three main themes that highlighted the experiences of mothers with the service. This includes (1) making it seem that I'm coping: Mothers' fear of being judged; (2) i wish I had connected with my WCTO nurse: Fostering meaningful relationships to facilitate personal information sharing; and (3) beyond the baby: Mothers desire for recognition and support during WCTO visits. These findings point to several missed opportunities for WCTO providers to inquire about mental health and offer support needed by mothers. To address this, a relational approach to care would prioritise families and whānau as the focus of care rather than just monitoring the development of babies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people are known to face challenges when accessing healthcare and generally have low rates of health service utilisation. Use of telehealth might be one way to improve access, but evidence is needed from young people as to how acceptable it is. This online survey of 15‐ to 25‐year olds in the greater Wellington region of New Zealand sought young people's views on telehealth (phone and videocalls) as a means of accessing primary care. The survey included both forced‐choice questions and free‐text options. We report here on the free‐text data from open‐ended questions that were qualitatively analysed using template analysis. A total of 346 participants took part between August 6 and September 21, 2021, of whom 60% were female, 12% Māori (indigenous) ethnicity, and 38% had used telehealth methods of consulting previously. Analysis was undertaken of the free‐text comments that were provided by 132 participants (38%). Although those contributing comments described both benefits and drawbacks to using telehealth, more drawbacks were cited, with specific examples given to illustrate a range of concerns and potential limitations of telehealth including privacy, communication difficulties and compromised quality of care. Participants thought telehealth could be used successfully in specific situations, for example by people concerned about leaving the house due to anxiety, illness or being immunocompromised and for simple consultations or when the person knows exactly what they need. Respondents expressed a strong desire to be offered the choice between in‐person and telehealth consultations. Providing young people with a choice of consultation mode together with clear information about all aspects of a telehealth consultation is important if clinicians want young people to engage with this method of primary care service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]