Enhancing Postpartum Depression Screening Rates: An Educational Intervention For Primary Care Pediatric Providers: A Quality Improvement Project

Abstract

This quality improvement (QI) project sought to increase postpartum depression (PPD) screening rates at a single pediatric primary care practice setting by implementing an educational intervention for pediatric providers. Postpartum depression is a common and debilitating mental health condition affecting many mothers worldwide. Postpartum depression impacts many women in the United States and affects all ethnicities, although rates may vary based on demographic and socioeconomic factors. Despite the American Academy of Pediatrics\u27 recommendations for maternal PPD screening at one, two, four, and six months, well-child visits, national screening rates remain low, with a large number of cases undiagnosed. The current literature revealed significant gaps in the knowledge and confidence of primary care pediatric providers regarding PPD screening protocols, which result in missed opportunities for early maternal mental health intervention during routine infant care visits. The PICOT question guiding this investigation was: Among primary pediatric providers in a single pediatric setting (P), did providing an educational session on postpartum depression screening guidelines (I) increase postpartum depression screening rates (O) compared to no specific education (C) within 30 days (T)? This QI project employed a pre-post intervention design with primary care providers in a pediatric setting, including nurse practitioners, who constituted the population of interest. The intervention consisted of a single educational session on PPD screening, along with an evidence-based assessment tool, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. A retrospective and prospective chart audit was conducted comparing PPD screening rates before and after the educational intervention. Data collection occurred 30 days post-implementation, and PPD screening rates increased from .08% pre-intervention to 95% post-intervention, representing a statistically significant improvement in provider adherence to screening protocols. Educational interventions targeting pediatric providers may effectively improve PPD screening compliance in primary care settings. Implementation of structured educational programming, combined with standardized screening protocols and systematic monitoring, demonstrated potential for addressing current gaps in PPD identification during routine pediatric visits. Future research should focus on the longitudinal sustainability of these improvements and potential impacts on maternal treatment, engagement, and outcomes. Keywords: postpartum depression, PPD screening, American Academy of Pediatrics, AAP, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, maternal mental health, well child visits, pediatric primary care providers, PPD educational sessio