The Missing Link in Child Health: Medical Practitioners’ Insights on the Role of Maternal Mental Health in Child well-being

Abstract

Maternal mental health (MMH) plays a key role in maternal and child health, but is often neglected.
Although research shows that children can suffer adverse development if their mothers are psychologically distressed, we still know little from healthcare workers in low- and middle-income countries like Kerala, India. This study explores the views of 22 medical and allied health practitioners in Kerala think about the impact of MMH on children, so that more suited and integrated public health strategies can be created. An exploratory interview style was used with
psychologists, therapists, special educators and rehabilitation specialists. Further core themes were found by conducting thematic analysis according to the method described by Braun and Clarke, using clinical observations, system gaps and policy recommendations as data. Six dominant themes emerged: (1) MMH as foundational to child development, (2) urgent need for early identification and intervention, (3) stigma and lack of awareness as barriers to care, (4) the role of health communication in promoting help-seeking behavior, (5) the necessity of professional mental health support, and (6) inadequacy of current government responses. Notably, 100% of participants affirmed the centrality of MMH to child outcomes, and 95% emphasized the importance of improved health communication. Practitioners unanimously underscored the need to integrate MMH into maternal and pediatric care frameworks. Their insights highlight a pressing call for systemic reform, early screening, and community-based education to ensure holistic, familycentered healthcare delivery in Kerala and similar contexts.