title: The association between sociodemographic characteristics and postpartum depression symptoms among Arab-Bedouin women in Southern Israel.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prevalence rates of postpartum depression (PPD) are 10 to 20% among various populations. Little is known about the characteristics of PPD among populations experiencing cultural transition. This study aimed to assess PPD symptoms (PPDS) prevalence and to identify risk factors unique to Arab-Bedouin women in southern Israel.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample included 564 women who visited maternal and child health clinics. Sociodemographic characteristics were obtained using in-person interviews. PPDS were assessed using a validated Arabic translation of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Prevalence of PPDS was estimated using the cut-off score of EPDS ≥10; a more stringent cut-off score of EPDS ≥13 was used to define women with moderate to severe PPDS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of PPDS among women was 31%, of which 19.1% were assessed as having moderate to severe symptoms (EPDS ≥ 13). In a multivariate logistic regression, the variables associated with EPDS ≥10 were having an ill-infant odds ratio (OR) = 3.9, lack of husband's support (OR = 2.6), history of emotional problems (OR = 3.2), low income (OR = 1.6), low level of education (OR = 1.6), high marital conflicts (OR = 1.5), and an unplanned pregnancy (OR = 1.5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the generally understudied population of Arab-Bedouin women living in southern Israel, we found a high prevalence of PPDS. The unique risk factors described in our research can inform health care professionals in designing interventions for early detection and prevention of PPD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel; Maccabi Healthcare Services, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Samira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alfayumi-Zeadna
authors.forename: Vered
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kaufman-Shriqui
authors.forename: Atif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zeadna
authors.forename: Ari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lauden
authors.forename: Ilana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shoham-Vardi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018912:Arabs / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology*; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Arab-Bedouin women; Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; postpartum depression