Insight to Managing Postpartum Depression in Rural AmericA

Rural Lifestyle Barriers + Challenges to Accessing Mental Health

  • Difficulty getting an appointment with limited availability of mental health professionals.

  • 20% fewer primary care providers than in cities.

  • A lack of psychiatrists in 65% of rural counties.

  • A lack of psychiatric nurse practitioners in 81% of rural counties.

  • 47% of rural counties lack a psychologist.

  • Fewer than half of rural women live within 30 miles of perinatal care -- a gap that can have serious consequences, especially since about 1 in 8 women experience postpartum depression (PPD).

Rural Minds is Forming a New PPD Advisory Committee

In keeping with our mission to serve as the informed voice of mental health in rural America, Rural Minds is establishing a Rural PPD Advisory Committee. This committee will bring together women who have personally faced the challenges of living in rural areas while navigating PPD. Their lived experiences will help shed light on vital issues including:

  • Disease Awareness

  • Symptoms

  • Diagnosis

  • Stigma

  • Treatment

  • Disease Management

  • Recovery

  • Insurance coverage

Rural Minds will be hosting a one-hour virtual meeting for Rural PPD Advisory Committee members. Information that’s gathered from the conversation will help identify underserved or unmet needs, which will inform the development of information and resources as a response.

More Content About PPD

Rural Mental Health Connections Webinar

This 60-minute webinar features Dr. Keisha Reneé Callins, a physician, public health professional, and obstetrician/gynecologist, who discusses working with mothers to manage PPD. She is committed to providing women's healthcare services, especially in rural and underserved areas of Georgia.

In addition, Carrie Banks, peer support programs director at Postpartum Support International, discusses her personal experience living in rural America and managing postpartum depression.

Share Your PPD Story

If you would like to share your personal experience living in a rural community and struggling or managing PPD, we invite you to submit content for a blog post on the Rural Minds website.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious mental health condition that some women experience after having a baby.

Find information about PPD symptoms, prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment on the Postpartum Depression Fact Sheet, which is also available as a PDF document that can be downloaded and printed.

Watch the Video Recording of the Webinar