Adaptation of the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV disorder for assessing depression in women during pregnancy and postpartum across countries and cultures

Abstract

Background: To date, no study has used standardised diagnostic assessment procedures to determine wether rates of perinatal depression vary across cultures. Aims:To adapt the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV Disorders (SCID) for assessing depression and other non-psychotic psychiatric illness perinatally and to pilot the instrument in different centres and cultures. Method: Assessments using the adapted SCID and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale were conducted during the third trimester of pregnancy and at 6 months postpartum with 296 women from ten sites in eight countries. Point prevalence rates during pregnancy and the postnatal period and adjusted 6-month period prevalence rates were computed for caseness, depression and major depression. Results: The third trimester and 6-month point prevalence rates for perinatal depression were 6.9 % and 8.0 %,respectively. Postnatal 6-month period prevalence rates for perinatal depression rates ranged from 2.1% to 31.6% across centres and there were significant differences in these rates between centres. Conclusions: Study findings suggest that the SCID was successfully adapted for this context. Further research on determinants of differences in prevalence of depression across cultures is needed.