Depression and Associated Factors Among Women Within Their First Postnatal Year in Erzurum Province in Eastern Turkey

AbSTRACT

Objectives: The aims of the study were to identify associated factors with depression, to estimate prevalence of depression among women in the postnatal first year in Eastern Turkey, and to compare the results with those obtained from western societies.

Methods: We randomly selected 728 women in their postnatal first year. The data were collected in 2003 by using a structured questionnaire and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.

Results: The percentage of the women who had scores ≥ 13 was 34.6%. Having an unemployed husband, premenstrual symptoms, lack of husband's support, any stressful life event during the pregnancy, infant with a health problem, a temperamentally difficult child, and history of psychiatric condition were found to be associated factors with depression in women in this region.

Conclusion: The percentage of women with high scores in Eastern Turkey was higher than the reported prevalence in many western countries, and significant relations were identified between depression and social factors.

KEYWORDS:

• Postnatal depression
• associated factors
• women