Abstract

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) and anxiety are growing public and global health concerns, particularly among immigrant populations. In Canada, first-time parents from minority immigrant backgrounds face unique stressors that may heighten their vulnerability to perinatal mental health challenges. While existing research has primarily focused on mothers, limited attention has been given to immigrant fathers and the experiences of both parents as a unit. This study explores the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among South Asian and Middle Eastern immigrant couples in Canada during the postpartum period.

Methods: A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted with immigrant couples who had moved to Canada within the past 10 years and had an infant under one year of age. Participants were recruited online, and telephone interviews were conducted by a research assistant. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale were used to assess depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Results: As of this submission, 43 couples have participated in the study. The average age of mothers was 32, and fathers was 36. Most participants were originally from Pakistan (n=15) and Afghanistan (n=15), and a significant number of both mothers (34.6%) and fathers (37.2%) had graduate-level education. Preliminary findings show depressive symptoms in 25.6% of mothers and 9.3% of fathers, while 11.6% of both parents reported moderate to severe anxiety.

Conclusion: This study highlights a concerning prevalence of postpartum depressive symptoms among both immigrant mothers and fathers. The findings emphasize the need for inclusive screening practices and culturally responsive perinatal mental health interventions that engage both parents in immigrant families. Addressing these disparities is essential for promoting equitable healthcare and supporting the well-being of immigrant communities in Canada .

Author Details

Salima Sulaiman, PhD, MScN, RN - Dr. Sulaiman is a Registered Nurse, Assistant Professor, and Researcher with interests in Maternal Perinatal Mental Health with a focus on maternal, paternal, and infant outcomes and e-health intervention. Prior to joining Brock University in 2021, she was a faculty member at the Aga Khan University School of Nursing. Dr. Sulaiman teaches at the graduate and undergraduate levels. She is an active member of the Maternal-infant Global Health (MiGHT) Research Team which focuses on exploring maternal mental health issues in Low-and- Middle-income-countries (LMIC). Her current research program is focused on improving the coparenting relationship in immigrant postnatal women.

Sigma Membership

Rho Delta

Lead Author Affiliation

Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

Type

Report

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Cross-Sectional

Research Approach

Pilot/Exploratory Study; Quantitative Research

Keywords:

Postpartum Depression, Coparenting Relationships, Immigrants

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

None: Sigma Grant Recipient Report

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Funder(s)

Sigma Foundation for Nursing

Full Text of Presentation

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Available for download on Tuesday, August 11, 2026

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