Date of Award
2020
Document Type
Capstone
Publication Status
Version of Record
Submission Date
October 2026
College Granting Degree
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing
Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]
Joy Longo
Abstract
Postpartum depression is a common and serious mental disorder seen in 10% to 20% of postpartum women. It is the most undiagnosed and undertreated condition in obstetrics. It can affect mother-infant bonding, the mother’s wellbeing, and the infant’s development. The aim of this project is to implement a postpartum depression (PPD) screening program that will include early screening and referral for treatment. This manuscript will describe the results of the project and the importance of early screening for PPD. A practice change for a focused outcome was implemented in a practice. This change included a new protocol on PPD screening. A ten-item Edinburg postnatal depression scale (EPDS) was used to screen every woman during the postpartum visit. Data was collected between June 2020 and September 2020. Thirty women visited the clinic for a postpartum check within the 3-month period. Twenty-eight (93.3%) were screened for PPD. One (4%) of the twenty-eight women was detected to have symptoms of PPD and 100% of those who were detected with symptoms were referred. Two women (6.7%) were not screened. Prior to implementation of the protocol, education was provided to staff, and the 22-item revised depression attitude questionnaire (R-DAQ) was administered pre and post education to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of the staff. The independent sample T- Test was used to analyze the knowledge of staff pre and post educational sessions. The results showed an increase in knowledge, but it was not statistically significant. Also, the implementation of the practice change in the project site is still under assessment. In conclusion, implementing EPDS into practice will help improve PPD screening, early detection and treatment of PPD.
Extent
40 p.
Recommended Citation
Eziafa, Chinye, "Implementation of a Postpartum Depression Screening Program to Increase Detection and Referral of Women Experiencing Postpartum Depression (PPD)." (2020). Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present. 1649.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general/1649
Identifier
faudnp000005