title: Using the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale to screen for perinatal anxiety.
abstract: We replicated the factor structure of the anxiety subscale of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in a large convenience sample of Western Australian women who participated in the beyondblue National Postnatal Depression Program. In addition, we determined an appropriate cut-off score for the anxiety subscale. Factor analyses conducted on the EPDS responses yielded depression and anxiety factors as identified in previous research. Two-factor solutions accounted for over 50% of the variance at two time frames: antenatally (N=4,706) and at postnatal follow-up (N=3,853). The anxiety and depression factors had similar factor structures antenatally and postnatally and were consistent with previous published findings. The concurrent validity of the anxiety subscale was demonstrated by its significant relationship to anxiety-related items on a psychosocial risk factors questionnaire. Anxiety dropped significantly from the antenatal to the postnatal time period. These findings confirm the anxiety subscale of the EPDS and point to its utility in screening for anxiety symptoms using a cut-off score ≥4 which captured the top quartile of the antenatal sample.
authors.affiliation: Applecross Medical Group, 764 Canning Hwy, Applecross, Perth, Western Australia 6153, Australia. delphinswalm@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Delphin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Swalm
authors.forename: Janette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nathan
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jacques
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D014904:Western Australia