High EPDS scores in women from ethnic minorities living in London.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to determine whether women from ethnic minorities and/or birth in a non-English speaking country were at increased risk for postnatal depression.


METHODS
The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to screen a sample of 830 primiparous women 4 weeks after delivery. Ethnicity data was available on 743, and from these, 530 responses were received (71.3%).


RESULTS
Two independent variables were found to be significantly associated with high EPDS scores. These were being non White (especially Asian; adjusted Odds Ratio 2.7, 95% CI 1.3-5.8) and being born in a non-English speaking country (Odds Ratio 1.9; 95% CI 1.0-3.5).


CONCLUSIONS
The study was conducted using self rating questionnaires. There was only a 71% response overall, and a 50% response rate among the ethnic minority group.


CONCLUSIONS
Women from ethnic minorities or from a non-English speaking background should be regarded at high risk group for postnatal depression.
Onozawa
K
K
Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK.
Kumar
R C
RC
Adams
D
D
Doré
C
C
Glover
V
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors