COMMITTEE CHAIR: Dr. Allyssa Harris

TITLE: ENHANCING POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION SCREENING RATES:
AN EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION FOR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS. A QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

ABSTRACT: This quality improvement project aimed to increase postpartum depression (PPD) screening rates among primary pediatric providers through the implementation of an educational intervention in a single pediatric practice setting. Postpartum depression affects 17.22% of mothers worldwide, with one in eight women in the United States experiencing PPD symptoms during the postpartum period (Wang et al., 2021). Despite American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for routine PPD screening at 1-, 2-, 4-, and 6-month well-child visits, national screening rates remain below 50%, with approximately 50% of PPD cases remaining undiagnosed (Carlson et al., 2025). Current literature demonstrates significant gaps in pediatric provider knowledge and confidence regarding PPD screening protocols, creating 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 (I) increase postpartum depression screening rates (O) compared to no specific education (C) within 30 days (T)?

This quality improvement project utilized a pre-post intervention design with primary care providers in a pediatric setting, including nurse practitioners, constituting the population of interest. The intervention consisted of a single educational session on postpartum depression screening protocols and an evidence-based assessment tool (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale). A retrospective and prospective chart audit was conducted comparing PPD screening rates before and after the educational intervention, with data collection occurring 30 days post-implementation. 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 can effectively improve PPD screening compliance in primary care settings. Implementation of structured educational programming, combined with standardized screening protocols and systematic monitoring, demonstrates potential for addressing current gaps in postpartum depression 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

Location Online:

Team Link:

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MzdmYzVjMDEtZjRkOS00MDc2LWJiOTgtMDAyYTM0MjJmZjc4%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22f48da9de-989b-4b23-8a82-d9206b7d33d3%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2247528fed-b3e3-419a-82c8-3725824cdcf3%22%7d

Meeting ID: 295 608 570 197 6

Passcode: D3aX7LC2