The Acceptability and Appropriateness of Delivering Postnatal Mental Health Support at Community Health Centers

Mental health symptoms are common among caregivers of young children in low-resource settings, yet access to psychological care remains limited due to shortages of specialists, low awareness, and stigma. This qualitative study explored the acceptability and appropriateness of delivering a postnatal mental health intervention for mothers through community and township health centers (CTHCs) in Shanghai, China. We conducted in-depth interviews with 50 mothers of children under 3 years of age, recruited from nine CTHCs and one parenting center, including both those with and without depressive symptoms. Data were analyzed using a rapid analysis approach to identify themes related to perceived values, burdens, motivations, and barriers to participation. Mothers valued interventions that aligned with their personal needs, addressed both parenting knowledge and mental health, offered emotional and social support, and involved family members. Key barriers included time constraints, childcare responsibilities, stigma toward mental health, and accessibility of the location of the intervention. Flexible delivery formats and modes, integration with routine child health services, and nonstigmatizing framing were identified as potential strategies to enhance engagement.