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Detection of postpartum depression and anxiety in a large health plan

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Abstract

To determine the prevalence of diagnosed and/or treated postpartum depression and anxiety, records were extracted for 1 year after delivery from databases of outpatient diagnoses and prescriptions, for women in a health maintenance organization who had delivered a child from July 1997 through June 1998. For comparison, telephone interviews were conducted 5 to 9 months after delivery with random samples of women who delivered at 2 facilities from June 1998 through January 1999. Of the women interviewed, 11% met criteria for major depression during the first 4 months postpartum, and an additional 13% met criteria for probable depression at 5 to 9 months postpartum. In contrast 7.0% of the large cohort had a visit or prescription for depression. The 1-year prevalence rate for diagnosed and/or treated anxiety without depression was 3.8%; the rate at time of interview was 14.7%. Overall, less than 33% of women with substantial depression or anxiety symptoms were detected.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, 2000 Broadway, 94612, Oakland, CA

    Ashley O. Coates MPH (Senior Consulting Data Analyst)

  2. Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Oakland, Calif.

    Catherine A. Schaefer PhD (Research Scientist)

  3. the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, Calif.

    Jeanne L. Alexander MD, FABPN, FRCPC (Director of Northern California Kaiser Permanente Psychiatry Women's Health Program)

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  1. Ashley O. Coates MPH
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  2. Catherine A. Schaefer PhD
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  3. Jeanne L. Alexander MD, FABPN, FRCPC
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Correspondence to Ashley O. Coates MPH.

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Coates, A.O., Schaefer, C.A. & Alexander, J.L. Detection of postpartum depression and anxiety in a large health plan. The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research 31, 117–133 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02287376

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