Screening for postpartum depression in military women with the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale.
Each year, approximately 16,000 women on active duty in the U.S. military experience the birth of a child. A descriptive, longitudinal, prospective design was used to gather data with the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale. Depression was measured after delivery but before hospital discharge (time 1), 2 weeks after delivery (time 2), and 6 to 8 weeks after delivery (time 3). Mothers were found to be experiencing the greatest severity of symptoms in the category of sleeping and eating disturbances. Almost one-half of the mothers in this study scored either significant postpartum depressive symptoms or positive screening for postpartum depression after delivery. This number remained virtually unchanged at time 2. By time 3, 40% of women still reported depressive symptoms. At 2 weeks and 6 weeks after delivery, 13% and 11% of mothers, respectively, had positive screening for postpartum depression, consistent with the national average of 10 to 15%. Future research is needed to examine issues surrounding postpartum depression of military women.
Rychnovsky
Jacqueline
J
Department of Nursing Research and Analysis, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, CA 92134, USA.
Beck
Cheryl Tatano
CT
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002140:California; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D008890:Military Psychiatry; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology