Key result
The EPDS and BDI screening instruments demonstrated a sensitivity of more than 80% for detecting postpartum depression, although findings for specificity were inconclusive.
Why the study?
There was a need to identify a clinically useful postpartum depression screening tool with acceptable sensitivity and specificity, particularly for primary care settings.
Do screening tools like EPDS and BDI have acceptable sensitivity and specificity for detecting postpartum depression?
Systematic Review
Do screening tools like EPDS and BDI have acceptable sensitivity and specificity for detecting postpartum depression?
The EPDS and BDI are highly sensitive (>80%) screening tools for postpartum depression, though their specificity remains inconclusive.
EPDS and BDI support postpartum depression screening; confirms high sensitivity for clinical use while leaving specificity open.
Postpartum depression is a depressive episode that can start at any point during the first year after childbirth. There are several tools that can be used for PPD screening. The need to define a predictive tool that is clinically useful and has acceptable sensitivity and sensitivity is important especially to be used in the primary care setting. This systematic review investigates the evidence of the sensitivity and specificity of screening tools used for PPD screening. The Standard for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracies (STARD) guidelines were used to conduct the review as a basis for our methodology. PubMed, ScienceDirect and Springerlink databases between 2007 until 2017 were comprehensively searched EPDS and BDI instrument has sensitivity of more than 80% but findings for specificity was inconclusive. The heterogeneity across studies could be the result of methodological differences in validation of the instruments. In addition, these studies were conducted across continents and settings with different cultures, languages and resources. We have identified 5 different instruments used to screen for postpartum depression. The EPDS was the most validated instrument in the review and we found that EPDS and BDI have higher accuracy to screen postpartum depression because the sensitivity reported were more than 80%.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Abdullah et al. (2019) conducted a systematic review in Postpartum depression. Screening tools (EPDS and BDI) was evaluated on Sensitivity and specificity for postpartum depression screening. The EPDS and BDI screening instruments demonstrated a sensitivity of more than 80% for detecting postpartum depression, although findings for specificity were inconclusive.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: