Perinatal Depression: Effects on Women, Men and Children

Unit Code

00249

Department/Institution Offering Unit

Women's Mental Health unit
Austin Health/Northpark Private Hospital

web: www.psychiatry.unimelb.edu.au

Unit Points

Research Points: 87.5

Coursework Points: 12.5

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Contacts

Unit Coordinator/s:

Professor Anne Buist
Department of Psychiatry
Repatriation Campus
Banksia Street
Heidelberg West
Victoria 3081 Australia

tel: +61 3 9496 2940
email: a.buist@unimelb.edu.au

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Overall Objectives

• To provide an insight into postnatal depression and the wide ranging impact on all the family.
• To provide the student with the opportunity to work within a research and clinical team
• To develop an understanding of the research and methodological issues in these areas.

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Content

Coursework: The student will commence their placement with a research methods training course, either Intermediate Epidemiology and Biostatistics OR Qualitative Health Research. Students will also be provided with an introduction to psychiatry through a lecture series one morning a week for the first 9 weeks.

Research: The major component of this course will be a clinical research project performed under the supervision of members of the Unit in areas including mental health, parenting and gender.

Sample Research Topics:

1. Risk factors in postnatal depression
2. Single motherhood and depression
3. Living in the country and postnatal depression
4. Mothers in the movies
5. Breast feeding and psychotropic medication
6. Fatherhood and depression
7. Personality and the transition to motherhood
8. Economic costs of postnatal depression

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Assessment Breakdown

Research Component: 87.5 points
Research Report (up to 9,000 words): 85%
Supervisor's Evaluation: 15%

Coursework Component: 12.5 points
Intermediate Epidemiology and Biostatistics or Qualitative Health Research will be assessed as per subject descriptions.

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Student Numbers

Number of places available:
2