CIIPME   05517
CENTRO INTERDISCIPLINARIO DE INVESTIGACIONES EN PSICOLOGIA MATEMATICA Y EXPERIMENTAL DR. HORACIO J.A RIMOLDI
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Psychosocial factors associated to low, middle and high risk of depressive symptoms in the immediate
Autor/es:
PALOLINI, C.; OIBERMAN, A.; BALZANO, S.
Lugar:
Cap Town
Reunión:
Congreso; World Association for Infant Mental Health 13th Biennial World Congress; 2012
Institución organizadora:
World Association for Infant Mental Health
Resumen:
Introduction. The presence of depressive symptoms in the immediate postpartum period is associated with an
increased risk of developing Postpartum Depression Syndrome. The early detection of women more prone to
develop postpartum depression is one of the biggest challenges for research. Studies concerning specific features of
women at risk of developing depressive symptoms during the immediate postpartum period, contribute to early
detection and treatment. Objective. Evaluate psychosocial factors associated to the presence of depressive
symptoms during the immediate postpartum period within three different groups: low, middle and high risk of
developing depressive symptomatology. Population. Argentine puerperal women hospitalized in a public maternal
hospital of the metropolitan region of Buenos Aires, Argentina were interviewed on the 1st and 3rd day postpartum
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from March to December 2010. Materials and Methods. Aim to assess the presence of depressive symptoms during
the immediate postpartum period the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was administrated. Based on the
scores obtained in the EPDS, the sample was separated in three different groups: low, middle and high risk. Two
cutoff points -9 and 19- were used (i.e. 8 was considered low risk, from 9 to 18 was considered middle risk, and
19 was considered high risk). The Perinatal Psychological Interview (Entrevista Psicologica Perinatal EPP) was
administrated to explore socio demographic, psychological, maternal, neonatal variables, life events during
pregnancy and during the last years, physical and emotional problems during pregnancy, familial and partner
support, history of depression and presence of depressive symptoms during pregnancy. In order to determine
associations with EPDS scores, several statistical tests were applied according to the evaluated variable: chi square
test or Fisher exact test was used for categorical variables, and ANOVA or median test, for continuous variables.
Associations with a p value <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results. The total sample is composed of
45 puerperal women. From the results obtained on the EPDS, 25 and 75 percentiles were established to obtain 2 cutoff
scores. The sample was divided in three groups with increasing risk of depressive symptomatology. Cut-off
scores were 9 and 19 points. Out of the total psychosocial variables analyzed, statistically significant differences
were found among the three groups regarding family violence, migration, previous history of depression, presence
of depressive symptoms during pregnancy and increasing number of life events. Number of life events, previous
history of depression, and presence of depressive symptoms during pregnancy, showed a statistically significant
trend toward increasing EPDS scores. Conclusions . The presence of depressive symptoms in the immediate
postpartum period is associated with an increased risk of developing Postpartum Depression Syndrome. The setting
of two cut-off scores in EPDS allows the early detection of women with depressive symptoms. Even more, the
variables associated with the high-risk group in the present study have been previously reported as risk factors for
Postpartum Depression, suggesting the usefulness of cut-off value of 19 for early detection of women at risk to
developing postpartum depression.