Postnatal Depression and Homelessness in Women Living in High-Income Countries: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Postnatal depression (PND) is estimated to affect approximately 17% of mothers, and if left untreated can have negative health consequences, not only for the mother but for the family unit. Homelessness is a multifaceted concept which also has negative health consequences and is often termed a stressful life event. Exploring the literature which links these two factors may promote the implementation of policies which work to address both these health issues. The aim of this scoping review was to determine the breadth and nature of the literature investigating the quantitative relationship between PND and homelessness in women living in high-income countries. Comprehensive searches were performed in June 2020 in MEDLINE, PsychInfo, Embase, Social Policy and Practice and Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts. Grey literature was also searched, including unpublished studies, dissertations, conference proceedings and reports by the UK charities. Twelve studies met the eligibility criteria. There are few well-controlled longitudinal studies and a high level of variability between studies in terms of the definitions used for homelessness and in the screening tools to detect PND symptoms. Future research would benefit from undertaking waves of prospective data collection, using a well-defined concept of homelessness and implementing validated tools for measuring PND.