title: Validation of the Thai Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale for screening postpartum depression.
abstract: This study aimed to validate and determine an appropriate cut-off score on the Thai Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) as a screen for postpartum depression. A prospective cohort of postpartum women at 6-8 weeks were tested using the EPDS and clinically interviewed by psychiatrists to establish a DSM-IV diagnosis of major or minor depressions in a university hospital in Southern Thailand. Of 351 postpartum women interviewed, 38 postpartum women met the criteria for depressive disorders, major depression in four women (1%) and minor depressive disorder in 34 women (10%). The area under the curve was 0.84 (95% confidence interval 0.76-0.91). Using an EPDS cut-off sum score of 6/7, major and/or minor depression was detected with a sensitivity of 74%, specificity of 74%, positive predictive value of 26% and negative predictive value of 95%. When the cut-off score was higher, the sensitivity was lower but the specificity was higher. The Thai version of the EPDS is a valid self-report instrument and is useful in Thailand where no other screening instrument for postpartum depression is available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand.
authors.forename: Jarurin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pitanupong
authors.forename: Tippawan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liabsuetrakul
authors.forename: Arnont
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vittayanont
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology