- About 35% screened positive for moderate-to-severe depression and 30% for moderate-to-severe anxiety; screening results are not clinical diagnoses.
- Sixty percent relied on traditional healing, which provided emotional support and community cohesion, with cultural familiarity and trust shaping care-seeking.
- Integration of traditional and clinical practices is feasible; urgent need for structured provider training, community-sensitive interventions and collaborative frameworks to improve outcomes.
Discov Ment Health. 2026 Jul 29;6(1):211. doi: 10.1007/s44192-026-00554-w.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Perinatal mental health remains a critical yet insufficiently addressed component of perinatal care in sub-Saharan Africa. In Southern Malawi, where cultural beliefs and traditional healing practices profoundly shape health-seeking behaviour, the intersection of traditional and clinical care presents both challenges and opportunities for improving perinatal outcomes.
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the prevalence of perinatal depressive and anxiety symptoms and explored the role of traditional healing practices alongside clinical care in supporting perinatal mental health in Southern Malawi.
METHODS: A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from perinatal mothers (n = 330) using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with perinatal mothers (n = 10), healthcare providers (n = 10), and traditional healers (n = 10). Quantitative data were analysed with SPSS using descriptive statistics; qualitative data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis framework.
RESULTS: Approximately 35% of perinatal mothers screened positive for moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms on the PHQ-9 (mean score: 10.5, SD = 4.3), while 30% screened positive for moderate-to-severe anxiety symptoms on the GAD-7 (mean score: 9.2, SD = 3.9). These findings reflect validated self-reported screening results and should not be interpreted as clinical diagnoses. Sixty percent of mothers relied on traditional healing methods for perinatal mental health concerns, citing cultural familiarity and trust. Forty percent faced barriers to clinical care, including stigma and limited awareness of available services. Qualitative data revealed that traditional healers provided essential emotional support and community cohesion, while healthcare workers reported inadequate training in perinatal mental health assessment and intervention.
CONCLUSION: The integration of traditional and clinical practices represents a potentially feasible strategy for enhancing perinatal mental health outcomes in Southern Malawi. Findings highlight the urgent need for structured training of healthcare providers, community-sensitive interventions, and collaborative frameworks that leverage the complementary strengths of both healing systems. These insights are relevant to other low-resource settings across sub-Saharan Africa.
PMID:42946932 | DOI:10.1007/s44192-026-00554-w
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