The need for regular screening of postpartum depression.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine the level of depression during the first week of the postpartum period in a sample of women hospitalized for childbirth at the University Obstetric Clinic in Skopje and correlate it with some demographic characteristics.


METHODS
The sample comprised 150 randomly selected women with a mean age of 29.23 years (SD±5.11). As a psychometric test the Beck Depression Inventory was used. It is a multiple choice, self-report inventory for measuring the severity of depression. For statistic evaluation (descriptive analysis and correlations) software Statistica 7 was used.


RESULTS
The random study showed that 68% of postpartum women have minimal, 25% mild and 5% moderate depression. Fortunately only 2% manifested severe depression. Our findings showed that depression is negatively correlated with the level of education (r=-0.17), as well as with age (r=-0.15). The comparison of the level of depression with a group of chronic dialyzed patients showed that PPD is not so serious a problem. However, this study shows that PPD is under diagnosed.


CONCLUSIONS
As a common mental health problem PPD is not systematically screened in our country. The study showed the presence of minimal (68%) and mild (25%) depression in the examined women. The age of the woman is important for PPD; younger women are more susceptible to depressive reactions. The level of education is negatively correlated with depression. It was pointed out that PPD must be recognized, treated and followed for a long period because it is a risk not only to the mental health of the mother but also for the development of child.
Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Skopje, R. Macedonia.
N
N
Pop-Jordanova
S
S
Markovska-Simoska
G
G
Filev
J
J
Pop-Jordanov
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D000068097:Maternal Health; D008605:Mental Health Services; D011181:Postnatal Care; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D018843:Republic of North Macedonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult