Pain is a common problem and influences the daily lives of children and adolescents. Many parents are unaware of the pain experienced by their children. There is a need for preventive programmes that also involve parents, school nurses, and teachers.

Public health nurses are well positioned to identify and treat depressed mothers and provide referrals when needed. A small investment in training nurses to identify and treat postpartum depression can be cost-effective in the longer term. These findings have implications for service delivery in public health.

Supportive counselling based on a non-directive counselling method provided by public health nurses is an effective treatment method for postpartum depression. Further research is required to assess the mothers' evaluation of the treatment and appraise methods used for management of postpartum depression in primary health care.