Alhammadi Salwa M, Hashem Lien Abou, Abusbeih Zainah R, Alzaabi Fatima S, Alnuaimi Salama N, Jalabi Ala F, Nair Satish C, Carrick Frederick R, Abdulrahman Mahera
Dubai Medical College, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Psychiatr Danub. 2017 Sep;29(Suppl 3):313-322.
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant public health problem adversely affecting mothers, their newborns, and other members of the family. Although PPD is common and potentially dangerous, only a minority of the cases are identified in primary health care settings during routine care, and the majority of depressed mothers in the community lies unrecognized and therefore untreated.
In this study, a total of 1500 mothers were approached randomly, 808 accepted to participate, and 504 were within the inclusion criteria (women who had a birth of a singleton full-term healthy infant, had an uncomplicated pregnancy, and were within their one week to six months postpartum). The participants completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.
A total of 168 women had an EPDS score ≥10, yielding a crude prevalence rate of 33%. The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 14 out of 504 (3%), among which 11 (79%) had EPDS score of ≥10. We fitted multiple linear regression models to evaluate the predictors of variables measured on the EPDS scale. This model was statistically significant p<0.0001 in predicting the total EPDS score. Women's employment status, baby's birth weight, stressful life event and marital conflict were statistically significant predictors.
The findings of this study are anticipated to entail the government and policy makers in the region to pay more attention to the apparently high prevalence of unrevealed PPD in the community. It is crucial to enhance screening mechanisms for early detection, providing interventions to manage symptoms, and at the same time mandating local guidelines to address the PPD pathology as a high priority for the UAE population.
产后抑郁症（PPD）是一个重大的公共卫生问题，对母亲、其新生儿及其他家庭成员产生不利影响。尽管产后抑郁症很常见且具有潜在危险性，但在初级卫生保健机构的常规护理中，仅识别出少数病例，社区中大多数抑郁母亲未被识别，因此未得到治疗。
在本研究中，随机接触了1500名母亲，808名接受参与，504名符合纳入标准（分娩单胎足月健康婴儿、妊娠无并发症且产后1周内至6个月的女性）。参与者完成了爱丁堡产后抑郁量表。
共有168名女性爱丁堡产后抑郁量表得分≥10，粗患病率为33%。504名中有14名（3%）有自杀意念，其中11名（79%）爱丁堡产后抑郁量表得分≥10。我们拟合了多元线性回归模型以评估爱丁堡产后抑郁量表所测变量的预测因素。该模型在预测爱丁堡产后抑郁量表总分时具有统计学意义（p<0.0001）。女性就业状况、婴儿出生体重、生活应激事件和婚姻冲突是具有统计学意义的预测因素。
预计本研究结果将促使该地区政府和政策制定者更加关注社区中未被发现的产后抑郁症明显高发的情况。加强筛查机制以早期发现、提供管理症状的干预措施，同时强制推行地方指南将产后抑郁症病理作为阿联酋人群的高度优先事项来处理至关重要。
