Background: In Chile, postpartum depression is a prevalent and disabling condition. Universal screening is available but has not been translated into better treatment rates, suggesting the existence of access barriers.
Aim: To describe access barriers to postpartum depression treatment in six primary health care clinics in Metropolitan Santiago, Chile.
Material and methods: Twenty women with postpartum depression and 18 primary health care professionals were subjected to a semi-structured interview. A qualitative methodology based on Grounded Theory was used.
Results: There are user associated barriers such as lack of knowledge about the disease, a negative conceptualization and rejection of available treatment options. There are also barriers associated with poor network support and some features of the health care system such as long waiting times and lack of coordination between clinical and administrative decisions.
Conclusions: Patient and provider related barriers restricting treatment of postpartum depression were identified.