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Postpartum psychiatric illness in Arab culture: Prevalence and psychosocial correlates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

R. Ghubash  and
M. T. Abou-Saleh
R. Ghubash*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
M. T. Abou-Saleh
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
*
Professor M. T. Abou-Saleh, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. Fax: 00971-3-620188
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Abstract

Background

There have been numerous studies of the prevalence of postpartum depression and its putative risk factors in Western Europe and North America, but very few studies in developing countries including the Arab world.

Method

Ninety-five women admitted to the New Dubai Hospital in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for childbirth were studied. All subjects were assessed in the postpartum period using clinical and socio-cultural instruments: the Self Report Questionnaire (SRQ) at day 2, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at day 7, and the Present State Examination (PSE) at week 8 ± 2 and week 30 ± 2 after delivery.

Results

The prevalence rate of psychiatric morbidity was 24.5% by the SRQ, 17.8% by the EPDS, and 15.8% by the PSE. A number of psychosocial factors emerged as putative risk factors for postpartum depression.

Conclusions

The prevalence rates of postpartum psychiatric morbidity and its risk factors in this Arab culture are similar to the results obtained in numerous previous studies in industrialised countries. These findings have implications for the early detection and care of women at risk for postpartum depression.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 171 , Issue 1 , July 1997 , pp. 65 - 68
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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