Perinatal mental health and well-being among UK military spouses/partners

本博士旨在利用混合方法了解军人配偶和伴侣的围产期心理健康状况。本研究的四个目标是：1。总结以往关于军人配偶/伴侣围产期心理健康的国际文献的调查结果；2. 2 .与一般人口中的妇女相比，检查军人配偶/伴侣的围产期心理健康患病率；探讨在联合王国军队中有伴侣对军人配偶/伴侣在怀孕期间和分娩后的心理健康和福祉的影响；和4。与医疗保健专业人员和负责军人家庭健康的军人社区人员（例如慈善机构代表、军人福利）进行访谈，以了解服务提供者对军人配偶/伴侣围产期经历的看法。目前，联合王国缺乏关于军人配偶/伴侣围产期健康以及在此期间军事生活如何影响其福祉的研究。虽然美国已经在这一领域进行了研究，但文化和军事上的差异意味着，在以前的研究中被确定为有影响力的因素可能不适用于英国。该项目将是英国第一个采用混合方法检查军事人员配偶/伴侣围产期健康状况的研究。这将提供这一人口的围产期心理健康估计数，并探讨配偶/伴侣以及提供支持和照顾的人（如保健专业人员、军事慈善机构代表和军事福利官员）的经验，以便更好地了解这一问题。这项研究的独创性和重要性，以及我们填补关键空白的能力，都证明了这个项目的必要性。该项目的协作性质将提供有关英国军人配偶/伴侣围产期健康的证据基础，并通过KCMHR主管和部门的研究专长，以及与KCMHR有着密切研究联系的陆军、海军和皇家空军家庭联合会的伙伴组织的支持和指导，为在此期间支持妇女和家庭提供建议。调查结果也将与国防部分享，以帮助告知武装部队家庭战略。

This PhD aims to understand perinatal mental health among the spouses and partners of military personnel using a mixed methods approach. The four objectives of this study are to: 1. summarise the findings from the previous international literature on the perinatal mental health of military spouses/partners; 2. examine the prevalence of perinatal mental health among military spouses/partners compared with women in the general population;3. explore the influence of having a partner in the UK military on the mental health and well-being of military spouses/partners during pregnancy and after childbirth; and 4. conduct interviews with healthcare professionals and those in the military community with a remit for military family health, (e.g. charity representatives, military welfare), to understand service provider perceptions of military spouses/partners experiences during the perinatal periodThere is currently a lack of UK research on perinatal health among military spouses/partners and how military life may influence their well-being during this time. While US research has been conducted in this field, cultural and military differences mean that factors identified as influential in previous studies may not apply in the UK. This project will be the first UK study to examine perinatal health among the spouses/partners of military personnel using a mixed methods approach. This will provide estimates of perinatal mental health among this population and explore the experiences of spouses/partners and those providing support and care such as healthcare professionals, representatives from military charities and military welfare officers to better understand this issue. The originality and importance of this research, and our ability to fill vital gaps, all demonstrate the need for this project.The collaborative nature of this project will provide an evidence-base regarding perinatal health among UK military spouses/partners and recommendations for supporting women and families during this time through the research expertise of the supervisors and department at KCMHR and the support and guidance of the partner organisations from the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force Family Federations with which KCMHR have strong research links. Findings will also be shared with the Ministry of Defence to help inform the Armed Forces Families Strategy.