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The perinatal assessment of psychosocial risk
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah Medical Center, Salt Lake City, USA.
Insights
Assessing psychosocial risk factors before hospital discharge is crucial. This review highlights tools for evaluating maternal mental health, social support, and family functioning to improve perinatal care.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal mental health
- Psychosocial risk assessment
- Maternal and child health
Background:
- Evaluation of psychosocial risk factors before perinatal hospital discharge is recommended but lacks established methods.
- Identifying maternal mental health and social support needs is vital for effective perinatal care.
- Existing assessment tools for psychosocial factors during the perinatal period are not widely standardized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review major psychosocial risk factors relevant to the perinatal period.
- To identify and discuss instruments used for assessing these psychosocial factors.
- To advocate for the integration of formal psychosocial assessments into routine perinatal care.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of psychosocial risk factors and assessment instruments.
- Categorization of formal constructs including anxiety, depression, self-concept, and social support.
- Analysis of tools used for evaluating perinatal psychosocial status.
Main Results:
- Several key psychosocial risk factors were identified, including anxiety, depression, life events, and social support.
- Various instruments have been employed to assess these factors during the perinatal period.
- Formal assessment tools can provide a comprehensive view of maternal and family psychosocial needs.
Conclusions:
- Routine assessment of psychosocial status using formal instruments is essential during perinatal care.
- Such assessments enable more targeted interventions and better resource allocation for mothers and families.
- Standardized psychosocial evaluations can enhance the overall quality of perinatal healthcare and support systems.
Abstract:
Although evaluation of psychosocial risk factors prior to perinatal hospital discharge has been advocated, the means for accomplishing such an evaluation are not well established. This article reviews several major psychosocial risk factors together with instruments that have been utilized to assess them during the perinatal period. Formal constructs reviewed include anxiety, depression, self-concept, general attitudes, life events, stress, adaptation, social support, marital and family functioning, and the home environment. Ongoing assessment of psychosocial status using formal instruments during routine perinatal care may provide a more complete picture of the psychosocial needs of the individual mother and her family, allowing for more appropriate, timely intervention and utilization of social and health care resources.