Sociocultural Influence of Help-Seeking Behaviour on Postpartum Depression among Women in Ogun State, Nigeria

Postpartum depression (PPD) remains under-recognised and undertreated in sub-Saharan Africa, with sociocultural factors shaping whether and how women seek care. This study examined the influence of sociocultural factors on help-seeking behaviour for PPD among postpartum women in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria, using a mixed-methods cross-sectional design. Of the 390 women screened using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), 177 (45.4%) met the threshold for probable PPD and constituted the analytical sample. Quantitative findings indicated that sociocultural factors significantly influenced help-seeking behaviour, with a large effect size. In the multiple regression model, sociocultural factors emerged as the strongest predictor of help-seeking behaviour, exceeding the contribution of mental health literacy. Qualitative findings showed that stigma, particularly fear of social labelling and its consequences, was the dominant barrier, while spousal support and culturally sanctioned community pathways served as facilitators. The findings demonstrate that sociocultural context does function not only as a barrier but also as a potential enabler of care-seeking. These results highlight the need for culturally embedded, family-inclusive interventions to improve access to maternal mental health care.