Study of Postpartum Women's Depression: A Comparative Study of Taiwanese Women and Immigrant Women in Taiwan

Lee, li Chun

Monday, 30 July 2012: 3:05 PM

li Chun Lee
Department of Nursing, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan
Chi-Chang Chang, MD
OBS/GYN Department, E-Da Hospital, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to understand postpartum depression incidence in native women and immigrant women.

Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to understand postpartum depression by time change.

Purpose:

The postpartum period is stressful time of change, particularly for immigrant women, but, to the best of our knowledge, the subject has not been explored. To describe postpartum depression, social support, quality of life and to determine postpartum depression inference factors among Taiwanese women and immigrant women married. to Taiwanese men living in Taiwan.

Methods:

This study was a longitudinal comparative research design. Those were 200 participants who live in south Taiwan included this study (145 Taiwanese women, 55 immigrant women). This study data collection used face to face interviews when participant postpartum first, third and sixth month. Research tools were structured questionnaires including quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF), social support and postpartum depression scale (EPDS).

Results:

Immigrant women had the higher postpartum depression incidence then native women. Postpartum depression was positive correlation with postpartum time(X²= 7.421, P = 0.024). Major inference factors of postpartum depression had the medication treatment, social support and quality of life.

Conclusion:

Health care provider need pay more attention in Immigrant postpartum women's mental health. Postpartum women in Taiwan had culture of “done the month”. It may decrease the first month postpartum depression incidence than three, and six-month.

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