Document Type
Master's Culminating Experience
Publication Date
2011
Abstract
Background: Five to 20 percent of the women worldwide suffer from Post Partum depression (PPD) which has serious negative impacts on the mother and her newborn. Although PPD is a preventive disease thorough screening using different tools, half of its cases are left undetected.
Purpose of the study: Is to find the best practice for PPD screening, which includes the best screening tool, best setting for screening, best administration period and the best cut-off score.
Methods: It is an Evidence-based Public Health (EBPH) review through a comparative study of 82 studies since 2005 that screened women for PPD in the postnatal period. All the articles were extracted from Pub Med, and each one used a definite screening tool for PPD.
Results: Fifteen research articles reported on 82 studies that met study inclusion criteria. Six different screening tools were used in these studies. The most commonly used screening tool was EDPS (46 of 82 studies). Postpartum Depression Screening was conducted most often in in perinatal clinics (44 studies). Screening was most often administered around six weeks after delivery (57 of 82 studies). No consistent preferred cut-off score for positive PPD findings could be identified for the SPDS because the sensitivity and specificity was not consistent across the studies.
Conclusion: The best practice for PPD screening is to use EPDS as screening tool for PPD around six weeks postnatal at a postnatal or prenatal maternity clinic.
Repository Citation
Hilli, R. (2011). Evidence-based Public Health Practices for Screening for Postpartum Depression. Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.
