Screening For Perinatal Depression

'Henshaw (psychiatry, University of Keele, UK) and Elliott (consultant clinical psychologist, St Thomas' Hospital, UK) provide guidance for health care professionals on the controversies surrounding screening for perinatal depression and on good practice in the use of screening tools. International contributors, with backgrounds in psychiatry, psychology, medicine, nursing, midwifery, and social work, discuss the advantages and drawbacks of the available screening methods, and investigate women's perceptions of the usefulness of screening. Ethnic minority experiences and screening programs in developing countries are also considered.' - Book News 'The book considers a variety of issues and identifies agreement in ideas and continuing debates. Whether the reader is concerned with women's views of screening, the role of the midwife, screening in the US, Australia or developing countries, screening of women with serious mental illness, Black Caribbean women's views of screening, health visitor intuition and much more, there is something here for them. Each chapter, often drawing on the author's own work, stands on its own. Tutors, researchers, practitioners and students should be able to use the relevant parts to challenge their thinking, reflect on their practice and ask yet more questions about this significant subject.' - Community Practitioner Screening for perinatal depression is now widely undertaken in the UK and Europe and is attracting increasing attention. This much-needed text provides guidance for health care professionals on the issues and controversies surrounding screening and on good practice in the use of screening tests. An international author team with backgrounds in psychiatry, psychology, medicine and nursing has been brought together to discuss the available screening methods, their advantages and drawbacks. The authors investigate women's perceptions of the accessibility and usefulness of screening and of the roles of professionals (e.g. primary care staff and health visitors), and also look at ethnic minority women's experiences of health services. The role of the UK National Screening Committee is explored, along with the problems faced when implementing screening programmes in developing countries. This comprehensive and practical book will enable mental health professionals, social workers and health visitors to provide sensitive and informed services to women at risk of perinatal depression.

Identifying Perinatal Depression and Anxiety brings together the very latest research and clinical practice on this topic from around the world in one valuable resource. Examines current screening and management models, particularly those in Australia, England and Wales, Scotland, and the United States Discusses the evidence, accuracy, and limitations of screening methods in the context of challenges, policy issues, and questions that require further research Up to date practical guidance of how to screen, assess, diagnose and manage is provided. Considers the importance of screening processes that involve infants and fathers, additional training for health professionals, pathways to care following screening, and the economics of screening Offers forward-thinking synthesis and analysis of the current state of the field by leading international experts, with the goal of sketching out areas in need of future research

This much-needed text provides guidance for health care professionals on the issues and controversies surrounding screening and on good practice in the use of screening tests. The role of the UK National Screening Committee is explored, along with the problems faced when implementing screening programmes in developing countries.

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is a questionnaire and was designed as a simple means of screening for postnatal depression in health care settings. The scale is now in use around the world and this book is a practical guide to using the scale in clinical practice, its origins and development background. This second edition has been revised and contains much advice based on years of experience. All chapters and references have been updated and the chapters on screening and counselling have been considerably revised, the evidence base on interventions for perinatal depression is provided, plus details of innovative methods such as internet-based therapy. The book includes the EPDS questionnaire itself in 58 other languages, plus a discussion of the questionnaire’s cultural validity. The scale can also be used by researchers seeking information on factors which influence the emotional well-being of new mothers and their families and guidance is also given on use of the scale in research settings. The book will be useful for psychologists, psychiatrists, health visitors, midwives, family doctors, obstetricians and community psychiatric nurses, plus researchers in perinatal health.

Postpartum depression affects 10-15 percent of women any time from a month to a year after childbirth. Women with postpartum depression may feel restless, anxious, sad or depressed. They may have feelings of guilt, decreased energy and motivation, and a sense of worthlessness. They may also have sleep difficulties and undergo unexplained weight loss or gain. Some mothers may worry about hurting themselves or their baby. In extremely rare cases - less than 1 percent of new mothers - women may develop something called postpartum psychosis. It usually occurs within the first few weeks after delivery. Symptoms may include refusing to eat, frantic energy, sleep disturbance, paranoia and irrational thoughts. Women with postpartum psychosis usually need to be hospitalised.

Perinatal depression is one of the most common perinatal complications. It occurs in up to 19% of pregnant or postpartum women. It can negatively affect pregnancy outcomes and compromise the parent-infant relationship, in turn impacting childhood development. Perinatal depression screening is recognized as an effective means of identifying perinatal depression. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends screening pregnant and postpartum women. Maternal depression occurs five to ten times as often as gestational diabetes and at least as often as pregnancy-induced hypertension. Screening for perinatal depression is a logical step toward optimizing patient health outcomes. Prior to the implementation of this project, there were no screening processes, tools, or guidelines in place for identifying mothers at risk for perinatal depression at the project site. Clinicians were not trained to educate patients on perinatal depression or to address it fully with treatment and patient education of perinatal depression. Considering the prevalence and risks associated, it is important to implement a perinatal depression screening process and a referral system with resources to for those who screen positive. The project proposed to address this by implementing a depression screening process. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used as the screening tool or perinatal depression. The project goal was to screen 90% of perinatal care patients for perinatal depression. The process included educating the clinic staff to properly administer, score, document and address the Edinburgh Depression Scale score. The outcomes were specifically geared towards assessing the efficacy of the perinatal screening process. Chart reviews were used to determine that the clinic staff was correctly documenting the depression tool score and correctly imputing the electronic health record alert for next perinatal depression screening. Although the outcomes were not met, the project was successful in educating the clinic staff on the importance of perinatal depression screening and the negative outcomes of untreated perinatal depression. The MA and front office staff were introduced to evidence based practice. Nevertheless, the change has taken place and perinatal depression screening continues to be part of the daily clinic process. The perinatal depression screening process can easilty be applied and modified to various settings.

Depression is a widespread condition affecting approximately 7.5 million parents in the U.S. each year and may be putting at least 15 million children at risk for adverse health outcomes. Based on evidentiary studies, major depression in either parent can interfere with parenting quality and increase the risk of children developing mental, behavioral and social problems. Depression in Parents, Parenting, and Children highlights disparities in the prevalence, identification, treatment, and prevention of parental depression among different sociodemographic populations. It also outlines strategies for effective intervention and identifies the need for a more interdisciplinary approach that takes biological, psychological, behavioral, interpersonal, and social contexts into consideration. A major challenge to the effective management of parental depression is developing a treatment and prevention strategy that can be introduced within a two-generation framework, conducive for parents and their children. Thus far, both the federal and state response to the problem has been fragmented, poorly funded, and lacking proper oversight. This study examines options for widespread implementation of best practices as well as strategies that can be effective in diverse service settings for diverse populations of children and their families. The delivery of adequate screening and successful detection and treatment of a depressive illness and prevention of its effects on parenting and the health of children is a formidable challenge to modern health care systems. This study offers seven solid recommendations designed to increase awareness about and remove barriers to care for both the depressed adult and prevention of effects in the child. The report will be of particular interest to federal health officers, mental and behavioral health providers in diverse parts of health care delivery systems, health policy staff, state legislators, and the general public.