Collaboration With Tribal Stakeholders to Explore Care for Postpartum Depression in the Chickasaw Nation

Objective

To describe and interpret Indigenous women’s experiences of postpartum depression (PPD) from the perspectives of community advisory board members.

Design

Qualitative, descriptive design with a community-engagement approach.

Setting

Virtual group interviews.

Participants

Community advisory board members (N = 8) who were tribal employees, citizens of the tribe, and/or family members of citizens who had detailed knowledge of PPD among Indigenous women and issues surrounding their care.

Methods

In video- and audio-recorded virtual group interviews, we asked participants questions using a semistructured interview guide. We used qualitative content analysis to generate results.

Results

Major themes included The “Who, What, and Where” of PPD in Indigenous Women; Meanings Attributed to PPD in Indigenous Women; Realities of PPD Care in the Chickasaw Nation; and Feasibility, Acceptability, Perceived Barriers, and Facilitators of a Future Collaboration.

Conclusion

The participants identified next steps for addressing PPD in the Chickasaw Nation: raise awareness of PPD among providers, patients, and families; improve messaging about PPD to decrease stigma and normalize mental health care; and develop or adapt a culturally appropriate and relevant tool to screen for PPD in Indigenous women.