Chinese Women’s Acceptance and Uptake of Referral after Screening for Perinatal Depression

Wenjie Gong, Xin Jin, Kar Keung Cheng, Eric D. Caine, Richard Lehman and Dong (Roman) Xu
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Wenjie Gong: Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, 110 Xiangya Road, Changsha 410078, China
Xin Jin: Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, 110 Xiangya Road, Changsha 410078, China
Kar Keung Cheng: Institute and of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Eric D. Caine: Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester, 300 Crittenden Blvd, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
Richard Lehman: Institute and of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Dong (Roman) Xu: Global Health and Health System, ACACIA Labs and Department of Health Management, School of Health Management, Southern Medical University, 1023 South Shatai Road, Guangzhou 510515, China

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-11

Abstract: China recently issued a national plan on perinatal depression (PND) screening. Previous studies elsewhere suggested that uptake of referral after screening for PND is suboptimal, but little is known in China. In this cohort study including 1126 women in Hunan, we identified women at a high risk of PND using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) over multiple time points. We texted them and offered free consultations with a psychiatrist/psychologist. Among 248 screen-positive women, only three expressed interest and one attended the appointment. We surveyed the women about their reasons for declining referrals and preferred means of care. Of the 161 respondents, 128 (79.5%) indicated that they could cope with the condition without professional assistance and 142 (88.2%) chose their families as the preferred source of help. Only 15 (9.3%) chose professionals as their first option. Implementing a referral policy for screen-positive women would mean approximately one-third of women who gave birth in China would be eligible. Our result argues against referring all screen-positive women for professional services at this time. Interventions should instead build upon the tradition of family support in a more engaged response. These considerations are relevant for the implementation of national screening for PND in China.

Keywords: perinatal depression; routine screening; referral; preferences for care; mental health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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