title: Postpartum depression: a chronicle of health policy development.
abstract: The current report presents an example of the path taken from identification of a public health problem at the primary health service level, to conducting research documenting the scope of the problem and nature of the risk factors, disseminating the findings, and fostering development and application of relevant policy. The example presented is the case of postpartum depression, an issue with bio-psycho-social implications. Public health nurses identified the problem, prompting epidemiological research. The findings encouraged the Ministry of Health (MOH) to conduct a pilot program for screening and early intervention among pregnant and postpartum women reporting depressive symptoms. Based on the results of the pilot program, the MOH is expanding the program to all Mother-Child Health (MCH) clinics. Israel?s largest Health Maintenance Organization has followed suit and is including this program in its own clinics. This Israeli experience may serve as an instructive example of a locally identified problem evolving into a national policy.
authors.affiliation: Unit for Mental Health Epidemiology and Research on the Psychosocial Aspects of Illness, Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel. saraleeg@gertner.health.gov.il
authors.forename: Saralee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Glasser
mesh_terms: D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D003954:Diagnostic Services / Q000592:standards; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D015399:Nursing Research; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011050:Policy Making; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors