Abstract
Abstract Background Screening women for depression and psychosocial risk during the perinatal period is recognised best practice. Screening by current pen and paper methods can be time consuming, and prone to scorer error. The lack of readily available translated versions of screening tools also excludes many women from different cultures. Aim To evaluate a perinatal mental health digital screening platform, iCOPE. The trial was conducted in a community maternal and child health setting in Melbourne, Australia. Method A descriptive, cohort design was used. All women attending the urban clinic were invited to complete their routine perinatal screening on the digital platform, designed to automate score calculations and produce instant clinical and client reports whilst collecting data in real time. Screening included the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and psychosocial risk questions in line with current national clinical guidelines. Functionality of iCOPE was assessed according to duration of screening, completion rates, accuracy of reporting and level of engagement by women. Results During the trial, 144 screens were performed. The mean screening time was 6.7 min (SD=3.78). Most (65.7% n=94) women took between 3 and 6 min. Mean EPDS score was 7.2 with 16% (n=23) scoring 13 or more. The accuracy of reports was 100% and screening completion rate was 99.3%. Many women (81.3%) requested a copy of their personal report. Discussion The iCOPE platform was efficient in terms of screening time, scoring accuracy, and engagement of women. The automated production of tailored client and clinical reports enabled screening outcomes to be instantly communicated to women and health professionals. The collection of data in real time facilitated the monitoring of screening rates and evaluation of outcomes by clinicians and service managers.
Highlights
One in seven women (16%) experience depression in the first 12 months following birth, and rates of anxiety are significantly higher (Gavin et al, 2005; Miller et al, 2006; Buist et al, 2008)
Routine antenatal and postnatal mental health screening is recommended in countries such as the United Kingdom (NICE, 2014), Australia (Austin et al, 2017), and the United States (O’Connor et al, 2016)
This paper reports on an evaluation of a digital screening platform called iCOPE in a maternal and child health community setting in Melbourne, Australia
Summary
One in seven women (16%) experience depression in the first 12 months following birth, and rates of anxiety are significantly higher (Gavin et al, 2005; Miller et al, 2006; Buist et al, 2008). One Australian study found that 74% of women with symptoms of perinatal depression did not seek help until they reached the point of no longer coping, thereby hindering opportunities for early detection and intervention (Highet, 2016) Such results have prompted the introduction of universal screening of women during pregnancy and postpartum. All women attending the urban clinic were invited to complete their routine perinatal screening on the digital platform, designed to automate score calculations and produce instant clinical and client reports whilst collecting data in real time. The mental health and psychosocial needs of Indigenous and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women are often overlooked in current practice due to an absence of translated versions of screening tools. Widespread gaps were revealed in regards to clinicians’ knowledge, referral pathways, and policies (Highet and Bilbao, 2014)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
