Detecting Depression

Paper Summary:

This paper analyses a quantitative research report called "Using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale to achieve best practice standards." The paper notes some of the areas in the research that are lacking and emphasises the need to validate this instrument and to show how well it works, given how often it is used and how important it is to identify depression.

From the Paper:

"Downie et al. (2003) tests the value of the use of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) as a screening tool in the child health context. This is a test that has been widely used. It was developed by health centers in Livingston and Edinburgh, Scotland, in order to provide assistance to primary care health professionals so they can detect mothers suffering from postnatal depression (or to predict, as in Beck [2001]). This problem is a distressing disorder occurring in the first week after delivery. Studies have shown that postnatal depression affects at least 10% of women, and the problem is increased because many depressed mothers remain untreated, seriously affecting their enjoyment of life and often causing long-term effects on the family."

More papers on Detecting Depression:

• Essay # 83796 : "Detection of Geriatric Depression"
• Essay # 72553 : "Postpartum Depression"
• Analytical Essay # 123030 : "Treatment for Bipolar Depression"

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