The State of Perinatal Mental Health Data Capture in Canada: An Environment Scan and Analysis
Our partners at the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) conducted two reviews into how data on mental health during pregnancy and postpartum is collected. The first looked at national databases and registries focused on clinical conditions, with particular emphasis on those that currently capture perinatal and/or mental health data. The second looked at each province and territory’s prenatal/antenatal record forms and databases.
Significant gaps and inconsistencies were found in both reviews. Without data that can be collated, analyzed and compared across centres and jurisdictions, it is near impossible to know the prevalence of perinatal mental illness and implement changes required in healthcare services.
These reports form part of a series. Stay tuned for additional reports with more comprehensive recommendations and next steps for improving the state of perinatal mental health data capture.
Key takeaways
Canada lacks a single national organization that comprehensively reports on mental health, including access to specialized services
Administrative data, which is the basis of most data collection, rarely captures information on the social determinants of health, such as race/ethnicity, income, and education, factors which contribute to disparities in mental illness and substance use
Many individuals seek care through community-based agencies and informal support systems, and may not be captured by administrative records at all.
Key takeaways
Most provinces and territories collect data on perinatal mental illness (PMI) during pregnancy, but there's no consensus on the data collected, timing, and screening tools
Only half of provinces and territories collect data on race/ethnicity and family history of mental illness, which are major risk factors
Standardizing prenatal/antenatal data across diverse populations and healthcare systems is a significant effort, but current timing may be ideal given the broader push for open data sharing.