The prevalence of postpartum depression, its correlates and quality of life among mothers having a child aged between 2 weeks and 18 months attending primary health care centers in Ankara City Center

This descriptive study was conducted among 708 mothers, having a child aged 2 weeks-18 months, attending six primary health care centers in Ankara city center, between 2-19 November 2006. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD), its correlates and quality of life of the women. A questionnaire on descriptive features and PPD risk factors; Eddinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) and WHOQOL-BREF quality of life scale was used for the data collection. Those having a score of 13 or over were assed as ?having PPD?. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 15,0 statistical package software. Chi-square test, logistic regression analysis, person correlation analysis, one way variance analysis, independent samples t-test and linear regression analysis were used in the statistical method. All the subjects were married. The mean age of the subjects and their babies were 27,06 ± 5,10 years and 6,44 ± 5,84months respectively. The educational level, gestational age, mental problems, anxiety, life events during pregnancy, premenstrual symptoms as being nervous or being in a mental trouble, past depression history, depression history in the family, satisfaction with relationships with husband, satisfaction with relationships with her family and family in low, satisfaction with her marriage, thinking that the baby affected her marriage in a negative manner, the perceived health status are the factors related with PPD. The mean of WHOQOL-BREF general score (GS) was 60,18±9,99, physical health score (PHS) mean was 52,23 ±11,19; the means of psychological score (S), social relationships (SRS), and environmental score (ES) were 62,70±12,08; 67,87±15,52 and 62,96±14,15. There was a negative association between EPDS and WHOQOL-BREF scores (p<0,05). The mean WHOQOL-BREF GS were 61, 29±8,81 and 66,37±9,14 respectively among those with PPD and without PPD (p<0,05). PHS, PS and ES means were lower in women with PPD than those without PPD (p<0,05). In conclusion, the prevalence of PPD is quite high and PPD is the primary care physicians it is affecting in a negative manner the quality of life of the mother. The primary care physicians, being those following the mother during weeks in pregnancy and baby and well child visits, have to monitor the affective mood of the mother and to determine their risky women to early diagnose the PPD and to prevent the decrase in their quality of life.