141st APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

285094
Perinatal depression screening in a public health women, infants, children program: Feasibility and acceptability


Monday, November 4, 2013

Karen Tabb, PhD, MSW, School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
Maria Pineros-Leano, MSW, MPH, PhD Candidate, School of Social Work, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
Shinwoo Choi, PhD Student, MSW, School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
Madeline Root, BSW, School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
Brandon Meline, MS, RD, Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, Champaign, IL
Hsiang Huang, MD, MPH, Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA
Background: Women's mental health during the perinatal period is critically important; however best practices for screening efficiently using valid and reliable instruments in public health clinics are not available. The aim of this study is to explore the feasibility and acceptability of use of a database registry to collect data on mood disorders and co-occurring health problems from low-income pregnant and postpartum women in a racially and ethnically diverse public health clinic as well as to determine the prevalence of mood disorders and associated factors in this population.

Methods: During December 2012 we conducted focus groups using a semi-structured interview guide with public health clinic staff (n=25). All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to analyze all focus group data.

Results: We found four main themes related to the barriers and facilitators of implementing a universal electronic depression screen in a public health clinic. The main themes include: 1) literacy and the need for interactive multilingual programs 2) need for linkages with a network of outside services 3) training and capacity building of staff to screen women for depression 4) potential for an enhanced technology based screening process. The majority of participants identified the multiple barriers to universal depression screening in a public health clinic, but at the same time found merits in practice of screening low-income women for depression.

Conclusion: Factors for facilitating the institution of a universal systematic depression screen in a public health clinic have been identified.

Learning Areas:

Public health administration or related administration
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe the public health staff perceptions of the feasibility of screening for perinatal depression in a WIC program Identify the perceived acceptability of mHealth technology approaches to screening for mental health problems in a public health prenatal care program Discuss areas of improvement in order to screen and serve low income women perinatal women’s mental health with the use of technology

Keyword(s): Mental Health, Technology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a research assistant and I have been working on this project for the past year.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3414.0: Protecting the Mental Health of At-Risk Youth, Adolescents and their Families