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The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that pediatricians screen mothers for postpartum depression (PPD) at the infant's 1, 2, 4, and 6-month well child (WC) visits. Despite these recommendations, less than 50% of mothers are screened nationally. We evaluated the impact of a statewide quality improvement initiative that implemented routine screening for PPD utilizing the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) at AAP recommended WC visits. A total of 224 patients were included. Screening rates increased significantly at all four WC visits (P <.01). A higher prevalence of positive EPDS screens was detected in mothers with a history of a mental health condition (P =.009) and in mothers who reported recent food or housing insecurity (P =.02). EPDS screening was successfully implemented through a statewide initiative in a busy hospital-based pediatric clinic. Pediatricians play an important role in identifying mothers with PPD and referring them to adequate treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on Pediatric primary care and Integrated behavioral health. Topics discussed include Identification of behavioral problems early, prior to the development of more severe mental disease; Understanding differences between adult and pediatric behavioral health care; and introduction on post-partum depression screening for adolescent substance use.