Abstract
BackgroundDepression is often underdiagnosed by treating health professionals. This is a situation in Malawi where there is no routine screening of depression at antenatal clinics. Recently, a Screening Protocol for Antenatal Depression (SPADe) that can be used by midwives to screen for antenatal depression was developed in Blantyre District. SPADe proposes multistage screening of antenatal depression by midwives which may enable early detection and treatment of pregnant women with depression. Proper treatment of antenatal depression can assist in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, utilisation of SPADe in clinical practice to screening for depression in antenatal clinics has not been established yet. Therefore, the primary aim of this study is to assess feasibility of screening for depression by midwives using SPADe in antenatal clinics in Blantyre District. The secondary aim was to assess acceptability and fidelity of screening for depression by midwives using SPADe in antenatal clinics in Blantyre District.MethodsThis will be a feasibility study which will consist of scientific investigations that will support movement of evidence-based, effective health care approach, SPADe, from the clinical knowledge base into routine use. This study will consist three phases: phase 1 will introduce SPADe in antenatal clinics in Blantyre District where screening of depression is almost none existent; phase 2 will implement screening of depression using SPADe in antenatal clinics in Blantyre District; and phase 3 will evaluate the screening of antenatal depression using SPADe to establish its feasibility, acceptability and fidelity in antenatal clinics in Blantyre District.DiscussionThis study will establish and document feasibility, acceptability and fidelity of screening for depression by midwives using SPADe in antenatal clinics in Blantyre District. It is expected that midwives will develop more confidence in detecting and dealing with antenatal depression. Consequently, there will be increased numbers of pregnant women detected with depression by midwives and increased accessibility to mental health care by pregnant women in antenatal clinics.
Highlights
Depression is often underdiagnosed by treating health professionals
This study will be an implementation research which will consist of scientific investigations that will support the movement of evidence-based, effective health care approach, Screening Protocol for Antenatal Depression (SPADe), from the clinical knowledge base into routine use [31]
This study will employ multi-methods to assess the feasibility, acceptability and fidelity of screening for antenatal depression using SPADe in three phases: phase 1 will introduce SPADe in antenatal clinics in Blantyre District where screening of depression almost none existent; phase 2 will implement screening of depression using SPADe in antenatal clinics in Blantyre District; and phase 3 will evaluate the screening of antenatal depression using SPADe to establish its feasibility, acceptability and fidelity in antenatal clinics in Blantyre District
Summary
Depression is often underdiagnosed by treating health professionals This is a situation in Malawi where there is no routine screening of depression at antenatal clinics. A Screening Protocol for Antenatal Depression (SPADe) that can be used by midwives to screen for antenatal depression was developed in Blantyre District. SPADe proposes multistage screening of antenatal depression by midwives which may enable early detection and treatment of pregnant women with depression. Antenatal depression is a risk factor for postnatal depression [9] This is a cause for public health concern and necessitates proper screening of antenatal depression so that women with depressive symptoms are timely identified and treated. Midwives do not routinely screen for antenatal depression considering that they have increased workload in local antenatal settings where screening for depression is not a key task. This is contrary to a duty of midwives which requires of them to screen pregnant women for various conditions [11] including depression during antenatal care
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