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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Linda Greaver, Director, Healthy Start Corps Project, Regional Center for Economic, Community and Professional Development, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, One University Drive, Pembroke, NC 28372, 9105216181, linda.greaver@uncp.edu and Guo Wei, Assoc Professor, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, One University Drive, Pembroke, NC 28372.

Objectives: To screen high risk women, particularly American Indian women, for postpartum depression, refer those with major postpartum depression to clinics in partnership for timely treatment and those with significant symptoms of (minor) postpartum depression to the Healthy Start Program for counseling, and provide interconceptional care for up to twenty-four months postpartum. Methods: The Beck and Gable Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS) was administered to 586 women between 2002 September and 2005 December in the clinical setting to detect major and minor postpartum depression with subsequent clinical referral as warranted for mental health counseling, treatment, health education and/or community-based interventions. Results: The 586 women represented a racial, ethnic and socio-economic well-mixed sample of the program area (White: 51, Black: 142, American Indian: 305, Hispanic: 81, Other: 7). The incidence of major and minor postpartum depression was 25.1% (estimated national rate, 12.9%). American Indian women had the highest incidence of major postpartum depression (18.7%), Whites (17.6%), Black (14.8%) and Hispanics least with (2.5%). White women were most likely to have minor postpartum depression (19.6%), American Indian (10.5), Black (9.9%) and Hispanics the least (0.0%). Maternal age, history of depression, marital status, delivery and feeding methods, and number of pregnancies/biological children were also analyzed. Conclusion: The PDSS provided a clinically useful and cost-effective screening instrument for early identification of major and minor depressive episodes. The partnership between health programs and clinical partners promoted awareness, treatment and interventions at appropriate levels for postpartum participants in rural communities for diverse and underrepresented populations.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant will be able to

• Understand the Beck and Gable Postpartum Depression Screening Scale and how to administer it in the clinical setting.
• Learn the prevalence of postpartum depression in an American Indian population.
• Know the importance of the partnership between health programs and clinics in rural, diverse and underrepresented populations for promoting awareness, treatment and interventions at appropriate levels for postpartum participants.

Keywords: Depression, Rural Health Care

Related Web page: www.uncp.edu/healthy_start/

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered