{"title":"Postpartum Depression Screening Scale: Its Availability for Use.","authors":"Cheryl Tatano Beck","doi":"10.1177/10783903231216455","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>A silent health crisis in the United States is the underdiagnosed and undertreated mental health of women related to childbirth. This discussion paper describes the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS) with its scoring and interpretation along with its psychometric testing and translations.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>In addition to the studies conducted by the instrument developers, databases were searched for studies where other researchers used the PDSS to assess postpartum depressive symptoms. Studies were included that measured the psychometrics of the scale and studies that reported the translation of the PDSS into other languages.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Evidence is presented that the PDSS is a reliable and valid screening scale for use by psychiatric mental health nurses and other health care providers. The scale also has been translated into 14 languages, so it is available to screen non-English speaking mothers.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Childbirth is one of the most powerful triggers of psychiatric illness in a woman's life. Postpartum depression is a treatable mental health condition, but first, women need to be screened so they can be identified and referrals made. Screening for this devastating mood disorder in new mothers is an essential role of psychiatric mental health nurses and other clinicians so that treatment can be started as early as possible to avoid harmful consequences.</p>","PeriodicalId":17229,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10783903231216455","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2024/1/9 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"NURSING","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: A silent health crisis in the United States is the underdiagnosed and undertreated mental health of women related to childbirth. This discussion paper describes the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS) with its scoring and interpretation along with its psychometric testing and translations.
Method: In addition to the studies conducted by the instrument developers, databases were searched for studies where other researchers used the PDSS to assess postpartum depressive symptoms. Studies were included that measured the psychometrics of the scale and studies that reported the translation of the PDSS into other languages.
Results: Evidence is presented that the PDSS is a reliable and valid screening scale for use by psychiatric mental health nurses and other health care providers. The scale also has been translated into 14 languages, so it is available to screen non-English speaking mothers.
Conclusion: Childbirth is one of the most powerful triggers of psychiatric illness in a woman's life. Postpartum depression is a treatable mental health condition, but first, women need to be screened so they can be identified and referrals made. Screening for this devastating mood disorder in new mothers is an essential role of psychiatric mental health nurses and other clinicians so that treatment can be started as early as possible to avoid harmful consequences.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (JAPNA) is a peer-reviewed bi-monthly journal publishing up-to-date information to promote psychiatric nursing, improve mental health care for culturally diverse individuals, families, groups, and communities, as well as shape health care policy for the delivery of mental health services. JAPNA publishes both clinical and research articles relevant to psychiatric nursing. This journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).