Post-partum depression screening among women attended by the Family Health Program

Purpose: to estimate the prevalence of Family Health Program postpartum depression (PPD) and its association with minor mental disorders (MMD) among women attended in two (FHP) PSF units, in the city of Sao Paulo, and to identify risk factors associated with PPD. Methods: a cross-sectional study with 70 postpartum women from two FHP units (Fazenda da Juta II and Jardim Sinha), from October 2003 to February 2004. The following instruments were used: questionnaire with socio-demographical-economic data and obstetric and perinatal data; Self-Report Questionnaire 20 (SRQ-20), for screening of MMD, and Edinburgh Post-Natal Depression Scale (EPDS), for evaluation of PPD. To verify association between explanatory variables and PPD, Student's t test, chi(2) or linear trend chi(2) were utilized when indicated. To evaluate concordance between scales (EPDS and SRQ-20) kappa (kappa) coefficient correlation was used. Results: the prevalence of PPD and MMD was 37.1%. Scales presented a good concordance (kappa=0.75). The explanatory variables age, ethnicity, years of education, profession, and marital status, besides partner's profession and years of education, familiar income, number of pregnancies, parity, miscarriage, number of alive children, premature deliveries, gestational age, type of delivery, planning of actual pregnancy, score of Apgar (first and five minutes), newborn sex and weight, and breastfeeding did not show significant statistical association. A greater perception of social support from the partner was associated with lower prevalence of PPD (p=0.03). Conclusion: because of its high prevalence and negative impact upon mother and child, it is worthwhile to sensitize health care professionals about the importance of PPD