Other Titles
Rising Star Poster/Presentation - Rapid Presentation Round
Abstract
Background: The pregnancy and postpartum period are crucial times to evaluate for mental health conditions. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) recommends that providers screen for perinatal and postpartum depression (PPD) at least once during pregnancy and once during the postpartum period using a validated screening tool. A chiropractic clinic in the upper Midwestern United States identified an anecdotal increase in mental health concerns in their pregnant and postpartum patient population since the COVID-19 pandemic. This project utilized interprofessional collaboration by implementing PPD screening at a chiropractic office according to the recommended guidelines using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).
Methods: A quality improvement project utilizing interprofessional collaboration was undertaken after a needs assessment at this clinic revealed an increase in mental health concerns in their pregnant and postpartum patient population. The project leader developed a curriculum for the stakeholders at this clinic through a PowerPoint presentation. The purpose was to provide education on PPD and the importance of screening following the recommended guidelines. Interventions of this project included a pre- and post-employee PPD knowledge assessment and administration of the EPDS to all eligible patients. The project leader created a pamphlet for patients with information regarding what PPD is, the risk factors for PPD, and a referral option for a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). Additionally, the pamphlet included two websites with a support hotline, helpful resources, and links to find a provider in the area. At the beginning of each week, the chiropractors alerted the rooming staff which patients were eligible for PPD screening by flagging the chart in the electronic health system. Eligible patients were given the EPDS screening tool by the rooming staff while waiting to be seen by the chiropractor. After the patient completed the EPDS, the chiropractor reviewed it. If the patient scored greater than ten on the EPDS, the chiropractor ensured the patient's immediate safety, and the patient was given resources for follow-up.
Results: Twenty patients were eligible, and 100% participated in the screening. Four patients scored greater than ten on the EPDS and received follow-up care. Two patients received follow-up care at their primary prenatal clinic. The other two patients followed up with a therapist they had seen previously for mental health care. Seventeen of the 20 patients reported that the screening was helpful. Two of the patients indicated that they were not screened for PPD at their comprehensive postpartum visit. The pre-and post-employee knowledge assessment scores yielded an 80% increase in knowledge regarding PPD.
Conclusion: Incorporating PPD screening at this chiropractic office allowed patients to discuss their mental health concerns and promoted interprofessional collaboration. The results of this project are only generalizable to this project site; however, there is an opportunity to disseminate this work to other chiropractic clinics.
Notes
References:
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). (2018a). Optimizing postpartum care. Committee Opinion No. 736. https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2018/05/optimizing-postpartum-care
American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists Committee Opinion No. 757: Screening for perinatal depression. (2018b). ACOG, 132(5). https://doi.org/10.1097/aog.0000000000002927
Geissler, K., Ranchoff, B. L., Cooper, M. I., & Attanasio, L. B. (2020). Association of Insurance Status with provision of recommended services during comprehensive postpartum visits. JAMA Network Open, 3(11). 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.25095
Morehead, A. N. (2022, October 21). Current recommendations for screening and management of postpartum depression. National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health. https://www.npwomenshealthcare.com/current-recommendations-for-screening-and-management-of-postpartum-depression/
Weis, C. A., Pohlman, K., Barrett, J., Clinton, S., da Silva-Oolup, S., Draper, C., Lee, J., Kumar, R., O'Beirne, M., Stuber, K., & Hawk, C. (2022). Best-Practice Recommendations for Chiropractic Care for Pregnant and Postpartum Patients: Results of a Consensus Process. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 45(7). 469-489. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2021.03.002
Sigma Membership
Zeta
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Quality Improvement
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Health Screening, Depression -- In Pregnancy, Postpartum Depression, Mental Health Services, Chiropractic Practice
Recommended Citation
Stedronsky, Emma and DeGrote Goering, Mary, "Screening for Postpartum Depression at a Suburban Chiropractic Clinic" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 41.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2024/presentations_2024/41
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2024
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-02-17
Screening for Postpartum Depression at a Suburban Chiropractic Clinic
Washington, DC, USA
Background: The pregnancy and postpartum period are crucial times to evaluate for mental health conditions. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) recommends that providers screen for perinatal and postpartum depression (PPD) at least once during pregnancy and once during the postpartum period using a validated screening tool. A chiropractic clinic in the upper Midwestern United States identified an anecdotal increase in mental health concerns in their pregnant and postpartum patient population since the COVID-19 pandemic. This project utilized interprofessional collaboration by implementing PPD screening at a chiropractic office according to the recommended guidelines using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).
Methods: A quality improvement project utilizing interprofessional collaboration was undertaken after a needs assessment at this clinic revealed an increase in mental health concerns in their pregnant and postpartum patient population. The project leader developed a curriculum for the stakeholders at this clinic through a PowerPoint presentation. The purpose was to provide education on PPD and the importance of screening following the recommended guidelines. Interventions of this project included a pre- and post-employee PPD knowledge assessment and administration of the EPDS to all eligible patients. The project leader created a pamphlet for patients with information regarding what PPD is, the risk factors for PPD, and a referral option for a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). Additionally, the pamphlet included two websites with a support hotline, helpful resources, and links to find a provider in the area. At the beginning of each week, the chiropractors alerted the rooming staff which patients were eligible for PPD screening by flagging the chart in the electronic health system. Eligible patients were given the EPDS screening tool by the rooming staff while waiting to be seen by the chiropractor. After the patient completed the EPDS, the chiropractor reviewed it. If the patient scored greater than ten on the EPDS, the chiropractor ensured the patient's immediate safety, and the patient was given resources for follow-up.
Results: Twenty patients were eligible, and 100% participated in the screening. Four patients scored greater than ten on the EPDS and received follow-up care. Two patients received follow-up care at their primary prenatal clinic. The other two patients followed up with a therapist they had seen previously for mental health care. Seventeen of the 20 patients reported that the screening was helpful. Two of the patients indicated that they were not screened for PPD at their comprehensive postpartum visit. The pre-and post-employee knowledge assessment scores yielded an 80% increase in knowledge regarding PPD.
Conclusion: Incorporating PPD screening at this chiropractic office allowed patients to discuss their mental health concerns and promoted interprofessional collaboration. The results of this project are only generalizable to this project site; however, there is an opportunity to disseminate this work to other chiropractic clinics.
Description
This project utilized interprofessional collaboration by implementing perinatal and postpartum depression screening at a chiropractic office according to recommended guidelines using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). This quality improvement project incorporated the EPDS into chiropractic assessment, allowing patients to discuss their mental health concerns with a healthcare provider.