Effect of maternal depression and anxiety on use of health services for infants.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association between postpartum maternal depressive symptoms or maternal anxiety and health services utilization (HSU) for infants.


METHODS
Telephone survey.


METHODS
London-Middlesex region of Ontario.


METHODS
Mothers of infants 2 to 12 months of age between 2004 and 2005 (N = 655). This sample was drawn from a larger longitudinal cohort of mothers recruited during pregnancy.


METHODS
Maternal depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Anxiety was measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Infant HSU outcomes included number of primary care provider (PCP) visits for infants < 6 months of age, number of PCP visits for infants 6 to 12 months of age, emergency department (ED) use, and walk-in clinic (WIC) use.


RESULTS
Multivariable regression methods were used to compare HSU for infants. After adjustment for confounders, no significant associations were observed between postpartum maternal depressive symptoms and PCP visits, ED use, or WIC use. Similarly, no significant associations were observed for maternal anxiety and PCP visits, ED use, or WIC use.


CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to some previous studies, this study found no association between postpartum maternal depressive symptoms or anxiety and HSU for infants.
Anderson
Laura N
LN
University of Toronto, ON, Canada.
Campbell
M Karen
MK
daSilva
Orlando
O
Freeman
Thomas
T
Xie
Bin
B
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires