Improving Postpartum Depression Screening and Referral in Pediatric Primary Care

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects up to 20% of American mothers and, if left untreated, can have serious, lifelong effects on women and their children. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that pediatric practices screen for PPD at the 1-, 2-, 4-, and 6-month well-child checks; however, few pediatric practices oblige.

This project standardized the PPD screening schedule and developed a novel referral algorithm that was concurrently implemented in a rural primary care pediatric practice.

The project significantly increased the clinic's screening rate from 33% to 80% (p < .001) and improved referral rates from 66% to 79%.

By standardizing PPD screening and implementing a referral algorithm in the ambulatory pediatric setting, more PPD cases can be identified, further evaluated, and, hopefully, treated to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.