Validation of two postpartum depression screening scales with a sample of First Nations and Métis women

The purposes of this study were to determine the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) and to examine the utility of the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in First Nations and Métis women in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. A total of 103 women who had given birth in the preceding 1 to 12 months were recruited from the city of Regina and from First Nations health centres in Saskatchewan. Self-report screening instruments assessing PPD were administered along with a structured clinical interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders (SCID) to confirm the diagnosis of PPD. Of the 103 women, 17% were diagnosed with PPD. The findings support the validity of the PDSS and the EPDS as measures of PPD in First Nations and Métis women. The author discusses the need for primary health care professionals, including nurses, to offer postnatal screening for women who may be at risk for PPD.