Postnatal depression: Use of health services and satisfaction with health-care providers

The objective of this study was to compare health‐care use and satisfaction with health‐care providers between depressed and non‐depressed women in the first 4 months after childbirth. Sixteen weeks after delivery a questionnaire, which included the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and items about health‐care use and satisfaction, was mailed to women who attended the antenatal clinic, Royal Women’s Hospital, Brisbane. Completed questionnaires were returned by 574 (86.4%) of the 664 women surveyed. During the study period most women (91%) visited a general practitioner at least once and 117 (12%) saw their doctor on five or more occasions. A total of 118 (20.7%) scored above 12 on the EPDS. Depressed women were more likely to visit a psychiatrist (OR, 9.2; 95% CI, 4.3–19.6), social worker (OR, 6.1; 95% CI, 3.3–11.1), postnatal depression group (OR, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.3–12.6), paediatrician (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.6–3.9), or a general practitioner (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.4–3.2) than non‐depressed women. Twenty‐two (18.5%) of the depressed women had contact with a psychiatrist. Compared with non‐depressed women, those scoring above 12 on the EPDS were less satisfied with the services of general practitioners (P = < 0.000), paediatricians (P = 0.002), Nursing Mothers’ Associations of Australia (P = 0.043) and obstetricians (P = 0.045). Postpartum depression leads to an increase use of health‐care services and has a negative effect on satisfaction with some services.