Professor Rhiannon Tudor Edwards and HCEC research officers, Dr Llinos Haf Spencer and Kalpa Pisavadia are undertaking an analysis of the economic costs of perinatal anxiety and health service as part of the MAP ALLIANCE study.
It has been estimated that perinatal mental health problems affect 1 in 5 women and can have a long-term impact on the child. This mixed methods research study, funded by the NIHR Health Services delivery and Research Programme, is being conducted in England and Scotland, led by Professor Susan Ayers of City, University of London, along with co-investigators at the University of Stirling. The analysis will use information from four work packages, including self-report surveys at intervals from postnatal women with and without perinatal anxiety and associated disorders. Other work packages will examine primary care records and in-depth qualitative interviews with women experiencing these problems and with health professionals and commissioners. It is hoped that this study will assist NHS Commissioners and providers in designing and transforming services, leading to better care and improved maternal and child outcomes.
