You're Not Forgotten: Effects of Screening for Postpartum Depression Within a Pediatric Setting

Author

Marrisa S. Culver, Valparaiso University

Date of Award

5-2020

Degree Type

Evidence-Based Project Report

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Lindsay A. Munden

Abstract

Postpartum depression (PPD) is depression that occurs in women following childbirth occurring during the postpartum period and affects 1 in 7 women (The United States Preventive Services Task Force, 2019). The American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP] (2019), recommends that pediatric healthcare providers utilize their position to screen for PPD. The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to implement a PPD screening intervention within a pediatric healthcare setting using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The Academic Center for Evidence-Based (ACE) Practice Star Model guided this EBP project with evidence-based interventions developed after a comprehensive literature search. Implementation of the EBP project occurred in a pediatric office in northeast, Indiana in which eligible mothers were screened at their child’s 1, 2, 4, and 6-month well-child visits. A total of 30 participants were screened for risk for PPD at their child’s initial well-child visit and then 12 weeks later with a follow-up phone call. Interventions to increase awareness of PPD were delivered to participants based on their EPDS scores. Participants scoring greater than 10 were identified as highest risk for PPD and were provided with community resources, PPD educational information, and a referral to their obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN), or primary care provider (PCP). Those who scored less than 10 received community resources and PPD educational information to review at their convenience. A 12-week follow-up phone call was conducted for all participants post-intervention. A paired-samples t-test indicated a significant decrease from pre-intervention EPDS total score was found t(29) = 6.625, p < .001. The mean of the pre-intervention EPDS score was 4.83 (4.65) and the mean of the pre-intervention OB/GYN or PCP follow-up was 2.67 (0.76). A significant decrease from the pre-intervention EPDS score to follow-up was found t(29) = 2.259, p < 0.05. A one-way between subjects’ ANOVA was conducted to compare the effect of past medical history on EPDS total scores. There was a significant effect of past medical history on EPDS total scores at the p < .05 level for the three conditions F(4, 25) = 3.121, p = 0.033.

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Recommended Citation

Culver, Marrisa S., "You're Not Forgotten: Effects of Screening for Postpartum Depression Within a Pediatric Setting" (2020). Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports. 148.
https://scholar.valpo.edu/ebpr/148