Postpartum Depression Screening and Treatment Approaches of Health Personnel Working in Primary Health Care Services

This research was carried out as a descriptive study in order to identify the screening and treatment approaches of health personnel working in family health centers for postpartum depression (PPD) and reveal factors preventing these services. The study was done with 453 of 494 personnel in 34 family health centers in Kayseri province. Data were collected via questionnaire and evaluated by using number and percentage rate. In the example of the case of an individual with PPD, almost all (98.0%) of the health personnel were able to determine the problem and noticed the PPD problem. 56.5% of health personnel stated that they provided mental health services in the postpartum period. As the primary reason for not being able to provide mental health services 51.6% of the physicians stated that the high number of patients and the lack of sufficient time and, 46.2% of the nurses referred no patient demands. 89.0% of the health personnel stated that they did not routinely use scales to screen PPD. When faced with an individual with PPD, it was found out that midviwes preferred guiding for receiving support and counselling (44%). Physicans stated that they would recommend medication (85%), and provide support and counselling (42%). It can be said that the health personnel could recognize the PPD problem but did not use the scanning tools adequately and could not transfer their existing knowledge to the treatment services adequately