Prevalence of postpartum depression in a native American population.
OBJECTIVE
Data were collected on postpartum depression from 151 women, ages 16-40 years who received postpartum health services from a rural obstetrical clinic in North Carolina between September 2002 and May 2003. Reflective of the racial and socio-economic makeup of the county, 60.9% of the sample were American Indian (Lumbee tribe) 25.8% were African American and 13.3% were Caucasian or other.


METHODS
The Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS) was utilized to explore the prevalence of postpartum depression requiring clinical intervention in a largely unexplored population, minority women.


RESULTS
The incidence of postpartum depression symptoms was over 23%, which is significantly higher than even the most liberal estimates in other populations. As with previous literature on risk factors, the sample demonstrates a strong association between symptoms of depression, history of depression and receiving treatment for depression.


CONCLUSIONS
The PDSS proved to be a clinically useful tool in this setting. Findings support the importance of implementing routine screening protocols to guide practice and implement support services.
Baker
Lisa
L
Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Criminal Justice, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, P.O. Box 1510, Pembroke, North Carolina 28372, USA. Lisa.Baker@uncp.edu
Cross
Sandra
S
Greaver
Linda
L
Wei
Gou
G
Lewis
Regina
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D008427:Maternal Health Services; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population