The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry
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Aust N Z J Psychiatry · Mar 2016
The National Perinatal Depression Initiative: An evaluation of access to general practitioners, psychologists and psychiatrists through the Medicare Benefits Schedule.
To evaluate the impact of the National Perinatal Depression Initiative on access to Medicare services for women at risk of perinatal mental illness. ⋯ In the 2 years following its introduction, the National Perinatal Depression Initiative was found to have increased access to Medicare funded mental health services in particular groups of women. However, an overall increase across all groups did not reach statistical significance. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of the National Perinatal Depression Initiative on women during childbearing years, including access to tertiary care, the cost-effectiveness of the initiative, and mental health outcomes. It is recommended that new mental health policy initiatives incorporate a planned strategic approach to evaluation, which includes sufficient follow-up to assess the impact of public health strategies.