Psychosomatic medicine
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Psychosomatic medicine · Mar 2000
Screening for postnatal depression using the double-test strategy.
Postnatal depression affects 10% to 15% of women after childbirth. Self-report rating instruments, such as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), have been developed and administered to postpartum women to facilitate early detection. Most postnatal depression screening scales, however, focus solely on depressive symptomatology. We hypothesized that applying two complementary rating scales of symptoms and functioning as a double test would significantly enhance the positive predictive value of screening. ⋯ Simultaneous administration of the EPDS and GHQ can substantially improve identification of women with postnatal depression. This can potentially reduce unnecessary referrals to general practitioners and psychiatrists and may enhance the overall cost-effectiveness of population-wide screening.