SMARThealth PRegnancy And Mental Health study: protocol for a situational analysis of perinatal mental health in women living in rural India

INTRODUCTION: The situation for women experiencing mental health problems during pregnancy and postpartum in rural India is critical: a high burden of disease, a high estimated number of women are undiagnosed and untreated with mental health problems, a substantial gap in research on women's perinatal health, and severe stigma and discrimination. The SMARThealth Pregnancy study is a cluster randomised trial using a digital intervention to identify and manage anaemia, hypertension, and diabetes in the first year after birth in rural India. Within this study, the SMARThealth Pregnancy and Mental Health (PRAMH) study is a situational analysis to understand mental health problems during pregnancy and in the first year following birth in this population. METHODS/DESIGN: This situational analysis aims to analyse and to assess the context of perinatal mental health, health services, barriers, facilitators, and gaps in Siddipet district of Telangana state in India, to develop an implementation framework for a future intervention. A tested, standardised situational analysis tool will be adapted and applied to perinatal mental health in rural India. A desktop and policy review will be conducted to identify and analyse relevant mental health and pregnancy care policies at the national and state levels. We will conduct in-depth interviews with policymakers, planners, mental health professionals and other experts in perinatal mental health (n = 10–15). We will also conduct focus group discussions with key stakeholders, including women with perinatal mental health problems, their families and carers, and community health workers (n = 24–40). A theory of change workshop with key stakeholders will be conducted which will also serve as a priority setting exercise, and will clarify challenges and opportunities, priorities, and objectives for a pilot intervention study. The analysis of qualitive data will be done using thematic analysis. Based on the data analysis and synthesis of the findings, an implementation framework will be developed to guide development, testing and scale up of a contextually relevant intervention for perinatal mental health. DISCUSSION: The situational analysis will help to establish relationships with all relevant stakeholders, clarify the context and hypotheses for the pilot intervention and implementation.