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Published Online: 1 March 2012

Depression Screening of Perinatal Women by the Des Moines Healthy Start Project: Program Description and Evaluation

Abstract

Objective:

Maternal depression is linked to poor infant and child outcome. In 2001, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration required all Healthy Start programs to incorporate maternal-depression screening as part of home visiting services. This article describes the implementation and results of depression screening by the Des Moines Healthy Start Project between 2002 and 2009. The study represents the first longitudinal assessment of the Healthy Start maternal-depression screening initiative.

Methods:

The evaluation assessed staff compliance with a protocol for screening for depression among clients at regular intervals during the prenatal and postnatal periods until the client's child was two years old. Rates of acceptance of referral for treatment and treatment seeking as well as depression outcomes were measured.

Results:

A total of 1,902 women were served by the Des Moines Healthy Start Project between 2002 and 2009. Compliance with the screening protocol was immediately high and increased significantly over the evaluation period, from 83% in 2002 to 98% in 2009. Of the 573 women who had elevated depression scores but who were not already in treatment, 64% accepted a referral, and 47% reported receiving treatment. Predictors of referral acceptance and treatment included higher depression scores and speaking English as a primary language. Depression severity significantly decreased for women who reported receiving treatment.

Conclusions:

A federal screening initiative identified a significant number of women who were at risk for maternal depression and connected them with treatment resources. Continuing work should assess the impact of this initiative on outcomes of women and children. (Psychiatric Services 63:250–255, 2012; doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.201100247)

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Table 1 Demographic characteristics of 1,902 participants in the Des Moines Healthy Start Project, 2002–2009
Table 2 Compliance with depression screening protocol by the Des Moines Healthy Start Project
Table 3 Predictors of referral acceptance and treatment receipt among 581 participants in the Des Moines Healthy Start Project with elevated depression scores

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Psychiatric Services
Go to Psychiatric Services
Psychiatric Services
Pages: 250 - 255
PubMed: 22388530

History

Published online: 1 March 2012
Published in print: March 2012

Authors

Details

Lisa S. Segre, Ph.D. [email protected]
Dr. Segre is affiliated with the College of Nursing, University of Iowa, Nursing Building, 50 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA 52242 (e-mail: [email protected]).
Michael W. O'Hara, Ph.D.
Dr. O'Hara and Ms. Brock are with the Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City.
Rebecca L. Brock, M.A.
Dr. O'Hara and Ms. Brock are with the Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City.
Darby Taylor, B.S.
Ms. Taylor is with the Des Moines Healthy Start Project, Iowa.

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