Why do health visitors screen mothers and not fathers for depression in the postnatal period?

Abstract

Traditionally, health visitors have focused on maternal wellbeing and child health, which explains why paternal postnatal depression (PND) has been comparatively unrecognised by this group of health professionals. This small study sought to identify why health visitors carry out PND screening using a tool such as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and provide emotional support for mothers and not fathers, despite literature highlighting the need for both mothers and fathers with poor mental health to be signposted to mental health services and offered emotional support. The majority of participants in this study identified that they do not routinely consider fathers' emotional health, and believe that their role as a health visitor should continue to be child- and mother-focused, despite knowing that paternal mental health consistently correlates with child health and wellbeing ( Fatherhood Institute, 2012 ).