Effectiveness of a discharge education program in reducing the severity of postpartum depression: a randomized controlled evaluation study.
OBJECTIVE
The effectiveness of a hospital discharge education program including information on postnatal depression was evaluated to reduce psychological morbidity after childbirth.


METHODS
A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in a regional hospital in Taipei. Two hundred first-time mothers agreed to take part and were randomly allocated to an intervention group (n=100) or control group (n=100). The intervention group received discharge education on postnatal depression provided by postpartum ward nurses. The control group received general postpartum education. The main outcome measure was the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) administered by postal questionnaire at six weeks and three months after delivery.


RESULTS
Women who received discharge education intervention on postnatal depression were less likely to have high depression scores when compared to the control group at three months postpartum.


CONCLUSIONS
A discharge educational intervention including postnatal depression information given to women during the postpartum stay benefits psychological well-being.


CONCLUSIONS
A postpartum discharge education program including information on postnatal depression should be integrated into postpartum discharge care in general practice.
National Changhua University of Education, Taiwan.
Shiao-Ming
SM
Ho
Shu-Shya
SS
Heh
Cecilia M
CM
Jevitt
Lian-Hua
LH
Huang
Yu-Ying
YY
Fu
Li-Lin
LL
Wang
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017145:Models, Educational; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011594:Psychometrics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan