The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of the postpartum depression management program for primiparas. This study used an quasi-experimental non-equivalent pretest-posttest design.
The data were collected from 38 subjects from May 10 to September 6, 2004 at the obstetric care unit at A and S University Hospitals in S city, Korea. 18 subjects were assigned to the experimental group and 20 subjects to the control group.
Research tool used in this study was the Self-rating Depression Scale by Zung(1965).
Data analysis was done using SPSS/Win version 11.5.
The results of the analysis were as follows:
1. Hypothesis “The degree of postpartum depression would be lower in the experimental group receiving the postpartum depression management program than the control group not receiving the program” was supported. There were significant differences in the postpartum depression between the experimental and control group(t=-5.432, p=.000).
2. As the score of postpartum depression measured on pretest was assorted by the level, 60.53% of subjects belonged in normal level(S.D.S 40 below), 31.53% in mild level(S.D.S 40-49), 5.26% in moderate level, and 2.03% in severe level. The level of the postpartum depression measured on posttest in the experimental group was lower than that measured on pretest, but in the control group the subjects of the moderate and severe level increased.
As this study demonstrated the effects of the postpartum depression management program for primiparas, this program will be used as interventions for prevention and management of the postpartum depression. Also, this will contribute to health promotion and well-being of the postpartum women, infants and family.
