Perinatal Mental Health Inequalities Affecting Mothers from Ethnic Minority Backgrounds: A Qualitative Study of Occupational Therapy Students' Perspectives from Education to Future Practice

Abstract

Background: Perinatal mental health inequalities remain a concern in the United Kingdom (UK), particularly for mothers from ethnic minority backgrounds who often face additional social and structural barriers to gaining support. This study aimed to explore how occupational therapy students understand these inequalities and how prepared they feel to work with mothers during the perinatal period.

Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological design was used. A purposive sampling strategy was used, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with four occupational therapy students from a UK University. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis to identify key themes in the participants accounts.

Findings: Three themes emerged, pointing to gaps in confidence, understanding, and readiness for culturally responsive work. Students described different levels of awareness of perinatal mental health, with some drawing on placement experience while others relied more on personal or informal knowledge. Students felt that the lack of focused teaching on perinatal mental health and cultural humility sometimes made it harder for them to work out how their academic learning should translate into everyday practice.

Conclusion: Overall, the findings suggest that clearer curriculum guidance and more practical learning opportunities may help prepare the future occupational therapy practitioners to deliver safe, fair and more inclusive perinatal mental health care and support.