Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T05:55:03.744Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Depression among postnatal women in an urban Irish community

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Elizabeth Cryan ,
Fiona Keogh ,
Eibhlin Connolly ,
Stasia Cody ,
Ailis Quinlan  and
Ian Daly
Elizabeth Cryan
Affiliation:
Department of Adult Psychiatry, James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland
Fiona Keogh
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
Eibhlin Connolly
Affiliation:
Department of Health and Children, Dublin 2, Ireland
Ailis Quinlan
Affiliation:
Community Care, Area 5, Eastern Health Board, Dublin 10, Ireland
Ian Daly
Affiliation:
St Loman's, Dublin 20, Ireland
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of postnatal depression in a community sample of women in a disadvantaged urban area in West Dublin, and to examine the factors which may be associated with it.

Method: All women who had a live birth in the area over a one year period were identified (944) and the self-rated Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was distributed to those who could be contacted by the public health nurses. Those scoring in the depressed range (> 12) were compared to non-depressed for age, marital status, employment, parity, presence of a confidant, mode of delivery, previous miscarriage and previous psychiatric history.

Results: Contact was made with 596 women and 377 responded. Responders were older and more likely to be first time mothers, but there was no significant difference between responders and eligible population for marital status. One hundred and eight women (28.6%) scored in the depressed range. Ten sociodemographic and clinical variables were entered into a logistic regression. Scores over the threshold (> 12), suggesting clinical depression, were significantly associated with four variables, lower age, absence of a confidant, previous miscarriage and previous treatment for depression by a GP.

Conclusions: A high prevalence of postnatal depression of 28.6% was reported, which may be associated with overall high levels of social disadvantage in this sample. There were implications for the targeting of resources into such areas. The associated factors are discussed.

Keywords

Postnatal depressionPostpartum depression
Type
Original Papers
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , March 2001 , pp. 5 - 10
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Nott, PN. Extent, timing and persistence of emotional disorders following childbirth. Br J Psychiatry 1987; 151: 523–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Stein, A. Gath, DH. Bucher, J. Bond, A. Day, A. Cooper, PJ. The relationship between postnatal depression and mother-child interaction. Br J Psychiatry 1991; 158: 46–52.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Ghodsian, M. Zajicek, E. Wolkind, S. A longitudinal study of maternal depression and child behaviour problems. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 1984; 25: 91–109.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Wrate, RM. Rooney, AC. Thomas, PF. Cox, JL. Postnatal depression and child development. A three year follow-up study. Br J Psychiatry 1985; 146: 622–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Coghill, SR. Caplan, HL. Alexandra, H. Robson, KM. Kumar, R. Impact of maternal postnatal depression on cognitive development of young children. BMJ 1986; 292: 1165–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6.Whiffen, VE. Gotlib, IH. Comparison of postpartum and non postpartum depression: clinical presentation, psychiatric history, and psychosocial functioning. J Cons Clin Psychol 1993; 61: 485–94.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Sinclair, D. Murray, L. Effects of postnatal depression on children's adjustment to school. Br J Psychiatry 1998; 171: 58–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Holden, JM. Postnatal depression: its nature, effects, and identification using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Birth 1991; 18: 211–221.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Holden, JM. Sagovsky, R. Cox, JL. Counselling in a general practice setting: controlled study of health visitor intervention in treatment of postnatal depression. BMJ 1989; 298: 223–226.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10.Johnson, Z. Howell, F. Molloy, B. Community mothers' programme: randomised controlled trial of non-professional intervention in parenting. BMJ 1993; 306: 1449–1452.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Cooper, PJ. Campbell, E. Daly, A. Kennerley, H. Bond, A. Non-psychotic psychiatric disorder after childbirth: a prospective study of prevalence, incidence, course and nature. Br J Psychiatry 1988; 152: 799–806.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Cox, JL. Connor, Y. Kendell, RE. Prospective study of the psychiatric-disorders of childbirth. Br J Psychiatry 1982; 140: 111–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13.Pitt, B. Atypical depression following childbirth. Br J Psychiatry 1968; 136: 339–46.Google Scholar
14.Kumar, R. Robson, KM. A prospective study of emotional disorders in childbearing women. Br J Psychiatry 1984; 144: 35–47.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15.Warner, R. Appleby, L. Whitton, A. Faragher, B. Demographic and obstetric risk factors for postnatal psychiatric morbidity. Br J Psychiatry 1996; 168: 607–611.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16.Martin, ME. A maternity hospital study of psychiatric illness associated with childbirth. Ir J Med Science 1977; 146: 239–44.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17.O'Neill, T. Murphy, P. Greene, VT. Postnatal depression – aetiological factors. Ir Med J 1990; 83: 17–8.Google ScholarPubMed
18.Greene, SM. Nugent, JK. Wieczovek-Deering, D. O'Mahony, P, Graham, R. The patterning of depressive symptoms in a sample of first-time mothers. Ir J Psychol 1991; 12: 263–275.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19.Lane, A. Keville, M. Morris, M. Kinsella, A. Turner, M. Barry, S. Postnatal depression and elation among mothers and their partners: prevalence and predictors. Br J Psychiatry 1997; 171: 550–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Central Statistics Office. Census 1991. Government Publications Sale Office, Dublin 1994.Google Scholar
21.Cox, JL. Holden, JM. Sagovsky, R. Detection of postnatal depression: development of the 10 item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Br J Psychiatry 1987; 150: 782–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22.Harris, B. Huckle, P. Thomas, R. Johns, S. Fung, H. The use of rating scales to identify postnatal depression. Br J Psychiatry 1989; 154: 813–817.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23.Murray, L. Carothers, AD. The validation of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale on a community sample. Br J Psychiatry 1990; 157: 288–90.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24.World Health Organisation. The ICD-10 classification of mental and behavioural disorders. WHO, Geneva 1992.Google Scholar
25.Turner, MJ. Coombe Womens Hospital Annual Clinical Report 1994.Google Scholar
26.Brown, G. Harris, T. The social origins of depression. Tavistock, 1978.Google ScholarPubMed
27.Augusto, A. Kumar, R. Calheiros, JM. Matos, E. Figueiredo, E. Postnatal depression in an urban area of Portugal: comparison of childbearing women and matched controls. Psychol Med 1996; 26: 135–141CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28.Cox, JL. Murray, D. Chapman, G. A controlled study of the onset, duration and prevalence of postnatal depression. Br J Psychiatry 1993; 163: 27–31CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
29.Watson, JP. Elliott, SA. Rugg, JA. Brough, DI. Psychiatric disorder in pregnancy and the first postnatal year. Br J Psychiatry 1984; 144: 453–462CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
30.O'Hara, MW. Social support, life events, and depression during pregnancy and the puerperium. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1986; 43: 569–73.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
31.Stein, A. Cooper, PJ. Campbell, EA. Day, A, Altham, PM. Social adversity and perinatal, complications: their relation to postnatal depression. BMJ 1989; 298: 1073–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
32.Tod, EDM. Puerperal depression, a prospective epidemiological study. Lancet ii. 1964; 1264–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
33.Paykel, ES. Emms, EM. Fletcher, J, Rassaby, ES. Life events and social support in puerperal depression. Br J Psychiatry 1980; 136: 339–46.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
34.Gard, PR. Handley, SL. Parsons, AD. Waldron, G. A multivariate investigation of postpartum mood disturbance. Br J Psychiatry 1986; 148: 567–75.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
35.Boyce, PM. Todd, AL. Increased risk of postnatal depression after emergency caesarean section. Med J Aust 1992; 157: 172–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
36.Appleby, L, Gregoire, A, Platz, C, Prince, M, Kumar, R. Screening women for high risk of postnatal depression. J Psychosomatic Res 1994; 38: 539–545.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
37.Wisner, KL. Wheeler, SB. Prevention of recurrent postpartum major depression. Hos Community Psychiatry 1994; 1191–6.Google Scholar